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Waist to Hip Ratio
The Waist to Hip Ratio is a ratio, shown to be a good predictor of possible cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack, stroke, or other vascular disease, in both men and women. It has been shown that the waist to hip ratio is a better predictor than waist measurement alone, which is a better predictor than the body mass index. Follow the directions below to find your Waist to Hip Ratio.
How to measure the Waist to Hip Ratio
To calculate the Waist to Hip Ratio, the waist and hip measurements should be taken at their narrowest and widest points respectively as described below:
1. For men, measure the waist at the navel and hips at the tip of the hip bone.
2. For women, measure the waist midway between the bottom of the ribs and the top of the hip bone and hips at the widest point between the hips and buttocks.
3. Type these measurements into the calculator below to calculate the Waist to Hip Ratio.
Waist to Hip Ratio - What Does it Mean?
Health is not only affected by how much body fat you have, but also by where the fat is situated on the body for example hips, waist etc. Most people store body fat in two distinct ways, around your middle (apple shape) or around your hips (pear shape). It is generally accepted that, carrying extra weight around your middle increases health risks associated with obesity, such as diabetes, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure. However overall obesity, is still a significant health risk. The recognition of central obesity is very important, as lifestyle intervention is likely to provide significant health benefits.
Waist to Hip Ratio Chart
| Male | Female | Vascular Health Risk Based on WHR |
| less than 0.9 | less than 0.80 | Low Risk |
| 0.9 to 0.99 | 0.8 to 0.89 | Moderate Risk |
| 1.0+ | 0.9+ | High Risk |
Reference: Welborn T.A. et al. Waist-hip ratio is the dominant risk factor predicting cardiovascular death in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia 1/15 December 2003;179:580-585
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Waist to Hip Ratio
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