Waist-to-Height Ratio

Definition

Waist-to-Height Ratio is a measurement that compares the circumference of your waist to your height, used to assess health risks related to obesity.

Scientific / Technical Definition

Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) is a screening tool that correlates abdominal obesity with possible health risks, calculated by dividing the waist circumference by the height. It is considered a better predictor of cardiovascular and metabolic risks than the Body Mass Index (BMI), especially in populations with varying muscle mass levels.

Benefits

• Helps identify health risks related to excess visceral fat
• Provides a more accurate indicator of obesity-related health risks than BMI
• Easy to measure and use for all age groups

Examples

• A person with a waist of 70 cm and height of 170 cm has a WHtR of 0.41
• A measurement indicating a WHtR above 0.50 may suggest increased risk of obesity-related disorders

Additional Information

• importance: Waist-to-Height Ratio is important for assessing central obesity, which is closely linked to conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

Related Terms

• Body Mass Index
• Waist Circumference
• Visceral Fat
• Obesity

References

• The Waist-to-Height Ratio: A Simple, Accurate Predictor of Cardiometabolic Risk
• Waist-to-Height Ratio: A Screening Tool for Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk