Health Numbers
A better predictor of cardiovascular risk than BMI. Keep your waist to less than half your height.
The table below categorises the ratios and provides a description of each category for men.
| WHtR | Ratio | Description |
|---|---|---|
| < 35% | < 0.35 | Underweight |
| 35 – 43% | 0.35 – 0.43 | Healthy: Slim |
| 43 – 53% | 0.43 – 0.53 | Healthy |
| 53 – 58% | 0.53 – 0.58 | Overweight |
| 58 – 63% | 0.58 – 0.63 | Seriously Overweight |
| > 63% | > 0.63 | Morbidly Obese |
First, measure your waist size with a tape measure at the belly button. Do not measure your waist where your pants sit — this area is often smaller than your true waist. It is important to actually measure your waist size and not rely on your pant size. Many clothing manufacturers make their sizes larger than stated on the label to avoid offending customers.
BMI is generally more well known than the waist-to-height ratio for measuring body composition. Nevertheless, many physicians believe WHtR to be the superior measure. This is because BMI can be skewed by an individual's frame or quantity of muscle mass — the WHtR is a far better measure for anyone with significant muscle mass.
The European Congress on Obesity has stated that WHtR is the best way to predict a person's risk of serious health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Unlike BMI, the WHtR is based on waist size — the most dangerous place to carry weight. Abdominal fat affects organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys far more adversely than fat around the hips and bottom in terms of cardiometabolic risk.