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MEASURE IT YOURSELF
The Metabolic Toolkit
If your doctor or nurse hasn't time to measure your waist, measure it yourself — and we'll tell you what it means. Every piece of home-measurement equipment used in clinic, with direct order links.
Editorial independence. The descriptions below are general and brand-neutral. The specific devices in use at Surrey Cardiovascular Clinic — across budget, mid-range and clinical-grade tiers — are curated on the Shop page, where any commercial relationships are fully disclosed. Items are selected on clinical merit alone; commission does not influence what is recommended. Full disclosures →
WHAT THIS PAGE IS
Equipment-light, globally
accessible.
The VAT-Trap framework is designed to be used anywhere in the world with under £100 of equipment. The five tools listed below are the same instruments used in clinic to track the four pillars of cardiometabolic risk — blood pressure, body composition, glucose dynamics, and strength.
Each entry explains what the device measures, why it matters, what to look for when buying, and where it sits in the framework. None of these tools require a prescription.
One tape measure
The single best home proxy for visceral fat. Waist-to-height ratio under 0.5 is the threshold to remember.
One blood pressure monitor
A week of home readings beats any single clinic measurement. Averaged data is what guidelines now ask for.
One set of scales
Bioimpedance scales separate fat from lean mass. Essential during weight change — especially on GLP-1 therapy.
One continuous glucose monitor
Two to four weeks of CGM data shows whether your glucose dynamics are quietly drifting upward. No prescription needed.
One hand dynamometer
Grip strength predicts cardiovascular events more reliably than blood pressure in some cohorts. A £25 device.
