Celebrity nutritionist Pooja Makhija shows unusual technique to find out if you have excess fat: ‘Take a rope…’

“The number that predicts our metabolic future far better is the waist-to-height ratio,” Makhija wrote. According to her, a value of 0.5 or more indicates elevated metabolic risk—even if a person’s BMI is considered normal.

She further asserted that Indians tend to develop central obesity at lower body weights, meaning serious health risks can be missed if BMI is the only measure being used.

According to the experts, visceral fat cannot be judged by appearance alone (image: pexels)

To understand how accurate this method is, we reached out to Dr Sumit Arora, Head of Department and Associate Professor at Manav Rachna Sports Science Centre, who seconded Makhijka and said that visceral fat cannot be judged by appearance alone. “Visceral fat is deep abdominal fat around the organs. It isn’t visible from outside and is best assessed through imaging techniques like CT or MRI scans, which remain the gold standard.”

That said, he agrees that the waist-to-height ratio is a valuable indicator. “It has been proven to be a better marker of metabolic risk compared to BMI,” he tells indianexpress.com. However, he cautions that it should not be treated as a definitive diagnostic tool.

According to Dr Arora, the rope test cannot distinguish between subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. It also does not account for muscle mass, body proportions, sex differences, ethnicity, or individuals whose height may be affected by hormonal imbalances. “It may also not be accurate for athletes or well-trained individuals,” he adds.

Despite its limitations, Dr Arora says the method works well as a quick, low-cost screening tool that can prompt people to pay closer attention to their health.

When it comes to reducing visceral fat, he stresses that no single solution works. A multimodal approach is essential. This includes proper sleep, dietary changes, stress control, improving insulin resistance, and regular exercise. Activities such as brisk walking, planks, mountain climbers, wood chops, and hanging knee tucks can help when done consistently.

Thus, while a rope test may not replace medical tests, it can serve as an early warning sign—reminding people that where fat is stored often matters more than what the weighing scale shows.

 

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DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.