Community-Based Older Adults' Acceptance of and Willingness Toward Waist Circumference Measurement

Older adults have higher rates of central obesity and greater risk for central obesity-related diseases compared to younger adults. Waist circumference measurement is a reliable indicator of preventable, central obesity-related disease risk. Despite its value, it is rarely measured in primary care settings due to providers' perceived patient discomfort with waist measurement. The current study examined community-based older adults' (N = 99) experience with, acceptance of, and willingness toward waist measurement. Ninety-two percent of participants reported never having waist measurement in primary care settings. Despite lack of waist measurement experience, 62.6% reported feeling "very" comfortable and 82.8% were "very willing" to have waist measurement. High acceptance of and willingness toward waist measurement in the absence of experience supports acceptability of waist measurement among older adults. Thus, providers are encouraged to use waist measurement to screen older adults for central obesity and associated disease risk. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45(5), 11-15.].