Waist-to-Hip Ratio

Waist-to-hip ratio is defined as the measurement of waist circumference divided by hip circumference (for example, a waist measurement of 33 and a hip measurement of 44 give a ratio of .75). It is used as a risk-factor assessment tool for heart disease , hypertension , and type-2 diabetes . Excess body fat is considered a risk factor for the degenerative diseases, particularly abdominal fat, and the waist-to-hip ratio is used to determine the risk. A waist circumference of more than 40 inches in men and more than 35 inches in women, or a waist-to-hip ratio of more than 1.0 for men and more than 0.8 for women, indicate an increased risk for the above diseases.

SEE ALSO Anthropomorphic Measurements ; Weight Management .

Simin B. Vaghefi