To calculate the WHR, divide the first measurement waist circumference by the second measurement hip circumference. Measurements can be recorded in either centimeters cm or inches in without affecting the ratio.

According to the World Health Organization WHO , having a WHR of over 1. This may be the case even if other measures of being overweight, such as body mass index BMI are in normal range.

The following chart shows how the WHO classify the risk of being affected by weight related health conditions according to WHR:. As well as using WHR to indicate how likely someone is to develop certain health conditions; it may also be used to indicate obesity.

According to WHO :. If a person has a high WHR and is carrying excess weight around their waist, they may be concerned about the related health risks.

To reduce these risks, it is a good idea to try to lose weight. The best way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than are burned, usually by eating less and exercising more.

Eating a healthful diet, reducing portion size, and exercising several times a week is a good place to start. A study found that a diet high in fruit and dairy and low in white bread, processed meat, margarine, and soft drinks may help reduce abdominal fat.

A doctor or nutritionist can provide further advice on how to lose weight. People may take inaccurate measurements or make a mistake when doing the calculation.

In addition, if someone has a high BMI or is less than 5 feet tall, their WHR may be less meaningful. It is important to note that a WHR is not designed to measure the health of children and should only be used for adults.

However, as a WHR can be measured inaccurately, it should not be relied on as a sole measure of obesity or health risk. Talking to the doctor about weight and any associated health risks is always the best way to get a more complete picture.

Want to lose those excess pounds? This study may offer some encouragement, after finding that the effects of being overweight may have been…. Metabolic syndrome is a condition that includes various health issues.

It is linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and type…. Find out what the average American woman weighs and obesity rates are for women globally.

We also look at how weight can be measured and controlled…. To find their ideal weight, an individual must look at a number of factors, including gender and activity level. Learn how to find your healthy weight. Body fat scales can be an easy way to track body composition, but research debates their accuracy.

Here, learn about body fat scales and the best…. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health? Why Parkinson's research is zooming in on the gut Tools General Health Drugs A-Z Health Hubs Health Tools Find a Doctor BMI Calculators and Charts Blood Pressure Chart: Ranges and Guide Breast Cancer: Self-Examination Guide Sleep Calculator Quizzes RA Myths vs Facts Type 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction Connect About Medical News Today Who We Are Our Editorial Process Content Integrity Conscious Language Newsletters Sign Up Follow Us.

Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Why is the hip-waist ratio important?

Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M. How to calculate waist-to-hip ratio What is a healthy ratio? Impact on health How to improve the ratio Considerations Conclusion Waist-to-hip ratio, also known as waist-hip ratio, is the circumference of the waist divided by the circumference of the hips.

How to calculate waist-to-hip ratio. Staying fit is essential, and tracking your workout progress by the numbers on your scale can feel validating. But how do you know whether all the workout routines and fitness classes are helping you to optimize your health?

There are countless ways to measure improved fitness, from wearable technology to smartphone activity trackers. There's something for everyone here. Read on to find out about eight essential ways to stay on top of your game, whether you're focusing on weight loss, weight gain, or muscle-building goals.

Body measurements can be a great way to track your progress. Tracking your body composition goals with basic measurements to see if you are decreasing or increasing inches in specific areas of the body may help you determine more about your fitness routine's efficacy. Your weight can fluctuate throughout the day depending on factors other than exercise, including your hydration status, stress levels, and bowel movements.

Using a tape measure can keep an eye on those fluctuations as well. Also, remember that muscle weighs more than fat'; and you may lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously. Getting to your ideal body weight is challenging regardless of your current fitness levels and body composition.

So, you should be proud of yourself for setting fitness goals to begin with. Taking progress photos can help keep you motivated during a weight loss or muscle-building journey. You can keep these photos for yourself or share them on a new social media page to help inspire others and keep yourself inspired along the way.

Research has shown that sharing your fitness progress on social media may help people stay motivated to reach their goals. Whether you're a beginner or you've been at it for a while, taking photos can be a great way to track your progress and stay motivated.

Have you ever wondered what RM rep-max weight loss or gain method is best for you? It will help you create the best workout routine possible to achieve your goals without delay.

If you're trying to squeeze in a workout somewhere in between a hectic schedule, it can be challenging, if not impossible, to track your progress. That's where a workout journal can come in handy. Workout journals are an excellent way to track all your fitness goals, from weight loss and muscle gain to endurance levels and overall fitness.

By tracking all your physical activity, you'll see how far you've come and how much farther you may have left to go. You may be surprised to learn that the waist-to-hip ratio WHR is a good indicator of overall health and fitness.

This ratio can help you determine if you have too much fat around your middle. In fact, studies have shown that people with a WHR of 0. So how do you determine your WHR? It's simple—measure the circumference of your waist and hips, then divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement.

While there are many different ways to track your fitness progress and set healthy lifestyle goals for yourself, who better to measure your fitness levels than a professional? Keeping track of your blood pressure is an important aspect of staying healthy, especially if you're trying to get fit.

High blood pressure can be a serious health problem, but it's often easy to treat if you catch it early. Fitness can often help you lower your blood pressure. Fitness professionals recommend checking your blood pressure at least once a month and more often if you have any other health conditions like diabetes, kidney, or heart disease.

As technology advances, gadgets like smartwatches and fitness trackers become more popular and sophisticated. While some people may view these devices as unnecessary gadgets, there are many valuable benefits to using them for fitness.

Fitness trackers and smartwatches can help you monitor your activity levels, heart rate, calorie burn, and more.

They can help you stay on track with your fitness goals and get the most out of your workouts. You probably know that maintaining a healthy blood sugar level is vital for overall health and wellness, but did you know that it's also crucial for weight loss?

When you join the Nutrisense CGM program , our team of credentialed dietitians and nutritionists are available for additional support and guidance to help you reach your goals.

Ready to take the first step? Start with our quiz to see how Nutrisense can support your health. Her career has included nutrition education and program development in her local community, adjunct faculty at several collegiate institutions, and clinical nutrition in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

How It Works Nutritionists Journal. What Is A CGM? Get Started. Promo code SPRING will be automatically applied at checkout! Team Nutrisense. Share on Twitter. Share on Facebook. Share via Email. Reviewed by. Natalie Carroll, MS, RDN, CDN, CLC.

Related Article. Read More. Engage with Your Blood Glucose Levels with Nutrisense Your blood sugar levels can significantly impact how your body feels and functions. Take Our Quiz. Reviewed by: Natalie Carroll, MS, RDN, CDN, CLC. Learn more about Natalie. On this page. Example H2. The Top 8 Best Fitness Trackers for Women Fitness.

Women's Guide to Toned Abs: 9 Effective Ab Workouts to Try Fitness. Explore topics. Measuring waist and hip circumferences accurately can be tricky if you're wearing tight clothing or if there is excess skin around either area due to weight loss or pregnancy or both. If this is the case for you, try measuring under loose clothing after drinking some water first so that any extra fluid will help fill out those areas before taking measurements--but don't drink too much!

If you have a high waist-to-hip ratio , you may be at risk for health problems. It's important to know what your number is and how to improve it.

If you think that your waist-to-hip ratio is too high, talk with your doctor about ways to lower it before beginning any diet or exercise program. Share Share Link. The best way to find out whether you have too much abdominal fat--and if so, how much--is by measuring your waist circumference using these steps: This ratio is also used to determine if you're at a healthy weight.

Why does it matter? The waist-to-hip ratio is a more accurate measure of health than BMI. The waist-to-hip ratio is a better predictor of heart disease than BMI. It's used by healthcare professionals more often than BMI. How to figure out your waist-to-hip ratio.

To find your waist-to-hip ratio, take two measurements: Your waist measurement should be taken at the narrowest part of your torso.

Finally, if someone wants to share this piece of content with their followers on social media but doesn't have time themselves, let them know that we'd be happy to do so: just send us an email at [email protected] The goal of weight loss is to remove fat everywhere, including your abdomen, hips, and butt.

The goal of weight loss is to remove fat everywhere, including your abdomen, hips, and butt. Conclusion If you have a high waist-to-hip ratio , you may be at risk for health problems. Back to blog. RECENT BLOG POSTS. Building a Foundation: Core Fitness Instructor Certification.

Body fat scales can be an easy way to track body composition, but research debates their accuracy. Here, learn about body fat scales and the best…. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

Why Parkinson's research is zooming in on the gut Tools General Health Drugs A-Z Health Hubs Health Tools Find a Doctor BMI Calculators and Charts Blood Pressure Chart: Ranges and Guide Breast Cancer: Self-Examination Guide Sleep Calculator Quizzes RA Myths vs Facts Type 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction Connect About Medical News Today Who We Are Our Editorial Process Content Integrity Conscious Language Newsletters Sign Up Follow Us.

Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Why is the hip-waist ratio important? Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M. How to calculate waist-to-hip ratio What is a healthy ratio?

Impact on health How to improve the ratio Considerations Conclusion Waist-to-hip ratio, also known as waist-hip ratio, is the circumference of the waist divided by the circumference of the hips.

How to calculate waist-to-hip ratio. Share on Pinterest Waist circumference should be measured just above the belly button. What is a healthy ratio? Share on Pinterest The hips should be measured at the widest part of the hips. Impact on health. How to improve the ratio. Share on Pinterest Reducing portion size and exercising regularly are recommended to improve waist-to-hip ratio.

How we reviewed this article: Sources. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.

We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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Find out what the average American woman weighs and obesity rates are for women globally. We also look at how weight can be measured and controlled…. To find their ideal weight, an individual must look at a number of factors, including gender and activity level.

Learn how to find your healthy weight. Body fat scales can be an easy way to track body composition, but research debates their accuracy. Here, learn about body fat scales and the best….

My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health? Why Parkinson's research is zooming in on the gut Tools General Health Drugs A-Z Health Hubs Health Tools Find a Doctor BMI Calculators and Charts Blood Pressure Chart: Ranges and Guide Breast Cancer: Self-Examination Guide Sleep Calculator Quizzes RA Myths vs Facts Type 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction Connect About Medical News Today Who We Are Our Editorial Process Content Integrity Conscious Language Newsletters Sign Up Follow Us.

Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Why is the hip-waist ratio important? Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M. How to calculate waist-to-hip ratio What is a healthy ratio?

Impact on health How to improve the ratio Considerations Conclusion Waist-to-hip ratio, also known as waist-hip ratio, is the circumference of the waist divided by the circumference of the hips.

How to calculate waist-to-hip ratio. Share on Pinterest Waist circumference should be measured just above the belly button.

What is a healthy ratio? Share on Pinterest The hips should be measured at the widest part of the hips. Impact on health. How to improve the ratio. Share on Pinterest Reducing portion size and exercising regularly are recommended to improve waist-to-hip ratio. How we reviewed this article: Sources.

Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles.

You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Share this article. Latest news Ovarian tissue freezing may help delay, and even prevent menopause. RSV vaccine errors in babies, pregnant people: Should you be worried? Scientists discover biological mechanism of hearing loss caused by loud noise — and find a way to prevent it.

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So what does this mean for you? The best way to find out whether you have too much abdominal fat--and if so, how much--is by measuring your waist circumference using these steps:. This ratio is also used to determine if you're at a healthy weight.

The World Health Organization states that women with a waist-to-hip ratio of 0. A waist-to-hip ratio is a measurement of body fat distribution. It's the circumference of your waist divided by the circumference of your hips. A high waist-to-hip ratio indicates that you have more abdominal fat, which can be an indicator of poor health.

For women, having a WHR higher than 0. For men, having an elevated WHR has been linked to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease 2. Having too much abdominal fat puts pressure on blood vessels as well as nerves and organs inside your abdomen--which can lead to chronic inflammation throughout the body 3.

Why does this matter? Because the only way you can have a healthy body is if your waist and hips are in proportion with each other, which means that your waist should be smaller than half of your hip circumference for example: if you have 40 inches around your hips, then 24 inches would be your ideal waist size.

The problem with using just one measurement like BMI or weight as an indicator for overall health is that there are many other factors involved such as bone density or muscle mass; these aren't taken into account when calculating either number so they may not necessarily reflect how healthy you really are!

Your waist measurement should be taken at the narrowest part of your torso. For example, if you bend over and place a measuring tape around where your belly button would be if it were visible it isn't , that would be an appropriate measurement.

Measurements for hips are taken at their widest point--usually 4 inches below the belly button or above it. Then divide your waist by hip measurements to get a number between 0 and 1 1 being more masculine.

A higher number indicates more feminine characteristics and vice versa for lower numbers; however, most people fall within the 0. There's a lot of information here, and it can be overwhelming. I know! But don't worry--I've got you covered. First, share this article with your friends and family!

Tell them how much you love them and how excited you are for them to learn about waist-to-hip ratios together or not.

Second, make sure they're aware that the average male has a WHR of. Finally, if someone wants to share this piece of content with their followers on social media but doesn't have time themselves, let them know that we'd be happy to do so: just send us an email at [email protected].

It's also a simple way to measure how much fat you have around your middle. And it's not the same as body mass index BMI , which measures overall body size rather than where you store fat on your body.

The more important number here is the ratio itself: A lower number means less of a risk for chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease; an upper number means higher odds of these conditions developing over time.

So what does this mean for you? The best way to find out whether you have too much abdominal fat--and if so, how much--is by measuring your waist circumference using these steps:. This ratio is also used to determine if you're at a healthy weight. The World Health Organization states that women with a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.

A waist-to-hip ratio is a measurement of body fat distribution. It's the circumference of your waist divided by the circumference of your hips.

A high waist-to-hip ratio indicates that you have more abdominal fat, which can be an indicator of poor health. For women, having a WHR higher than 0.

For men, having an elevated WHR has been linked to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease 2. Having too much abdominal fat puts pressure on blood vessels as well as nerves and organs inside your abdomen--which can lead to chronic inflammation throughout the body 3.

Why does this matter? Because the only way you can have a healthy body is if your waist and hips are in proportion with each other, which means that your waist should be smaller than half of your hip circumference for example: if you have 40 inches around your hips, then 24 inches would be your ideal waist size.

The problem with using just one measurement like BMI or weight as an indicator for overall health is that there are many other factors involved such as bone density or muscle mass; these aren't taken into account when calculating either number so they may not necessarily reflect how healthy you really are!

Your waist measurement should be taken at the narrowest part of your torso. For example, if you bend over and place a measuring tape around where your belly button would be if it were visible it isn't , that would be an appropriate measurement.

Measurements for hips are taken at their widest point--usually 4 inches below the belly button or above it. Then divide your waist by hip measurements to get a number between 0 and 1 1 being more masculine. A higher number indicates more feminine characteristics and vice versa for lower numbers; however, most people fall within the 0.

There's a lot of information here, and it can be overwhelming. I know! But don't worry--I've got you covered. First, share this article with your friends and family! Tell them how much you love them and how excited you are for them to learn about waist-to-hip ratios together or not. Second, make sure they're aware that the average male has a WHR of.

Finally, if someone wants to share this piece of content with their followers on social media but doesn't have time themselves, let them know that we'd be happy to do so: just send us an email at [email protected].

It's also a simple way to measure how much fat you have around your middle. And it's not the same as body mass index BMI , which measures overall body size rather than where you store fat on your body. The more important number here is the ratio itself: A lower number means less of a risk for chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease; an upper number means higher odds of these conditions developing over time.

See the men's chart in this article. Waist-To-Hip Ratio and Lipedema. The research data on waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio seems comprehensive for covering the health effects of body fat in the midsection.

But what about the health effects of excess fat in the hips, thighs, and lower legs? This condition, called lipedema, is much more common in women than men.

From a health risk standpoint, studies have not shown a direct link between lipedema and the risk of chronic disease or premature death. Fat below the waist appears to be much less risky than fat around the waist.

A cause for concern, either way, is how heavy legs may limit their overall ability to exercise. How to burn more calories. For example, a pound man sitting in a chair burns 18 calories every 10 minutes. If he gets up to sweep, vacuum, or go for a walk, he will burn up to three times the calories.

When done regularly, even in short bursts through the day, light activity adds up to more calorie burn than you might imagine. Here are the minute calorie burn rates for 18 commonly used light and moderate activities.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio and BMI. Waist and hip measurements identify excess body fat and the need for weight loss. Once you know you need to lose weight, you can also use body mass index BMI research data for setting your goals. The risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, chronic pain, disability, and other conditions were all studied by BMI.

Find out your target weight to lower your health risks in this article on body mass index. Related articles from Fit For Your Life, the masterclass series.

Metabolic Equivalent MET. Fine tune your lifestyle for a longer life expectancy and more calorie burn using the activities you enjoy. Create effective training programs from daily life activities, sports, leisure activities, and cardio exercise.

Waist circumference. If you find yourself losing inches when you're trying to lose weight, you may be benefitting more than you realize. Find out how much you can improve your healthy longevity with a waist less than half your height or a waist visibly smaller than your hips. Body mass index BMI.

Learning the health advantages of different sizes and weight groups can help you zero in on what you want for yourself. Take a step toward optimal health with weight goals you can commit to achieving.

Sex Differences in the Association Between Measures of General and Central Adiposity and the Risk of Myocardial Infarction: Results From the UK Biobank. J Am Heart Assoc. doi: PMID: ; PMCID: PMC et al. New indexes of body fat distribution and sex-specific risk of total and cause-specific mortality: a prospective cohort study.

BMC Public Health 18, Comparing Anthropometric Indicators of Visceral and General Adiposity as Determinants of Overall and Cardiovascular Mortality.

Arch Iran Med. Combined Influence of Waist and Hip Circumference on Risk of Death in a Large Cohort of European and Australian Adults.

Epub Jun Surrogate Adiposity Markers and Mortality. JAMA Netw Open. Waist circumference as a vital sign in clinical practice: a Consensus Statement from the IAS and ICCR Working Group on Visceral Obesity. Nat Rev Endocrinol. Epub Feb 4. Mean body weight, height, waist circumference, and body mass index among children and adolescents: United States, — National Health Statistics Reports; no Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.

Anthropometric reference data for children and adults: United States, — National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 11 General and abdominal adiposity and risk of death in Europe.

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