Q: My physician has said that my waist is too large — it is about 42 inches. I am 5 feet 6 inches and 185 pounds. Is that just a polite way of saying I need to lose weight? Why focus on my waist size — and will losing weight make it noticeably smaller? — Jennifer P., Jacksonville, Florida A: Your doctor is right to ask you to pay attention to your waist size. Your waist-to-height ratio is a good and easy measure of just how much risk you’re at for chronic diseases associated with obesity. This is in part because the fat you accumulate around your waist — visceral fat — is much more likely…