Body Mass Index (BMI) has been widely used to categorise individuals by their weight, but its limitations have prompted researchers to seek alternative strategies. In this post, we explore the controversies surrounding BMI and present the evidence supporting the use of Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) as a more comprehensive and informative tool for health assessment.
While BMI provides a convenient method to assess weight on a population level, it fails to account for variations in body composition, muscle mass, and fat distribution. These factors play a crucial role in determining an individual’s overall health. BMI alone cannot differentiate between muscle mass and excess adiposity, nor does it consider the location of body fat, which is important for assessing health risks.
Recent research has suggested that Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) may be a more reliable and accurate indicator of weight-related health risks. WHR is calculated by dividing waist circumference by hip circumference. Unlike BMI, WHR focuses on central adiposity, specifically the distribution of fat around the waist and hips. This distinction is crucial because excessive abdominal fat, indicated by a higher WHR, has been strongly associated with various health problems such as hypertension, dyslipidemia (abnormal blood lipid levels), and insulin resistance. WHR has shown to be a superior predictor of these conditions compared to BMI alone.
In Type 2 Diabetes, research suggests that WHR is a better predictor of type 2 diabetes risk compared to BMI. Excess abdominal fat, is closely associated with insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism, both of which are key factors in the development of diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. WHR has been found to be a reliable marker for identifying individuals with the abdominal obesity component that is an important feature of metabolic syndrome.
Measuring your own WHR is a straightforward process that can be done at home. Follow these steps for an accurate result:
- Gather the necessary tools:
- A flexible measuring tape.
- A mirror or assistance, if needed, to ensure accurate placement of the measuring tape.
- Find your waist:
- Stand upright with feet together.
- Locate the mid point of your waist which is between the bottom edge of your rib cage and the top edge of your hip bone.
- Place the measuring tape around your waist.
- Ensure the measuring tape is snug but not overly tight against your skin.
- Measure your waist:
- Hold the measuring tape parallel to the floor and make sure it remains horizontal around your waist.
- Take note of the measurement in centimeters.
- Avoid holding your breath or sucking in your stomach, as this may result in an inaccurate measurement.
- Locate your hips:
- Feeling down the side of your hip, identify the widest part of your hips, usually just below the hip joint.
- The hip measurement should be taken with your legs straights and feet together.
- Similar to the waist measurement, ensure the measuring tape is snug but not too tight against your skin.
- Measure your hips:
- Hold the measuring tape parallel to the floor and ensure it remains horizontal around your hips.
- Take note of the measurement in centimeters.
- Calculate your WHR:
- Once you have obtained your waist and hip measurements, divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement.
- Round the result to two decimal places.
- For example, if your waist measurement is 80 cm and your hip measurement is 100 cm, your WHR would be 0.80.
The risk of metabolic complications increases above the following WHR results:
Women: > 0.85, Men: > 0.9
WHR alongside other health measurements such as blood pressure and dietary assessment can provide a more comprehensive evaluation of your overall health status.
