Waist-to-hip ratio

The waist-to-hip ratio measurement can be used to help determine obesity. The distribution of fat is evaluated by dividing waist size by hip size. A person with a 30-inch waist and 40-inch hips would have a ratio of .75; one with a 41-inch waist and 39-inch hips would have a ratio of 1.05. The higher the ratio, the higher the risk of heart disease and other obesity-related disorders.

Waist-to-hip ratio


Review Date: 11/10/2019
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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