Waist to Hip Ratio

Waist-Hip Ratio and Apple/ Pear Shapes

Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) looks at the proportion of fat stored on your body around your waist and hip. It is a simple but useful measure of fat distribution. Most people store their body fat in two distinct ways: around their middle (apple shape) and around their hips (pear shape). Having an apple shape (carrying extra weight around the stomach) is riskier for your health than having a pear shape (carrying extra weight around your hips or thighs). This is because body shape and health risk are linked. If you have more weight around your waist you have a greater risk of lifestyle related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes than those with weight around their hips.

I'm told that more and more insurers are looking at this ratio to determine health risk premiums for prospective insureds.


here's the calculater
http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/whr

here's an article from WEBMD Medscape
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/516170