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In addition to the body mass index, the waist to height ratio is
another means by which health care professionals estimate an
individual's body composition in order to evaluate his overall health.
Although
the body mass index (BMI) is generally more well known than the waist
to height ratio for measuring body composition, many physicians believe
this ratio to be the better of the two. This superiority is due to the
fact that BMI can be skewed by an individual's frame or quantity of
muscle mass. For example, a man with a significant amount of muscle mass
may be indexed as overweight or obese by the body mass index even
though he has a low level of body fat. In fact, the European Congress on
Obesity recently stated that this ratio 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 ratio of waist to
height is based on waist size, which is the most dangerous place to
carry weight (abdominal fat). Specifically, abdominal fat induces
insulin resistance with impaired glucose tolerance, leading eventually
to diabetes, atherosclerosis, and an increased risk of cardiovascular
disease. Additionally, the waist to height ratio takes into account an
individual's frame so a sizeable amount of muscle mass will not skew the
results.
How to Determine Your Ratio
First,
measure your waist size in inches with a tape measure at the belly
button. Do not measure your waist where your pants sit because this is
often smaller than your waist at the belly button. It is important to
actually measure your waist size and not rely on your pant size because
many clothing manufactures actually make their sizes larger than they
state on the label to avoid offending customer. Then, divide you waist
measurement in inches by your height in inches and multiply by 100.
The following list provides the descriptions of the results:
Any
ratio below 35% is underweight. Any ratio between 35 and 43% is healthy
(slim). Any ratio between 43 and 53% is healthy. Any ratio between 53
and 58% is overweight. Any ratio between 58 and 63% is seriously
overweight, and ratio above 63% is morbidly obese. Consult your
physician or weight loss specialist if you fall into the seriously
overweight or obese categories. A combination of exercise and healthy
eating work best to combat weight gain.
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