Wellness/Prevention: Waist-Hip Ratio and the Cardiovascular System

The Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) is the ratio of a person’s waist circumference with hip circumference. The smallest waist measurement is taken just above the navel and is divided by the hip circumference at its widest part. In a thin person, the waist is measured at its narrowest point. For the larger person with a big belly, it is measured 1 inch above the belly button. Hips are measured at the widest point of the buttocks in the lean person and at the great trochanters in larger individuals. If an adult female has a 27-inch waist and 36-inch hips, her WHR is .75. (27 divided by 36). WHR for men: < 0.9 means he has a very low risk of having cardiovascular health problems; from 0.9 to 0.99 means he is at moderate risk of cardiovascular health problems; > 1 means his risk of cardiovascular problems is high. WHR for women: < 0.8 means she has a very low risk of having cardiovascular health problems; from 0.8 to 0.89 means she is at moderate risk of cardiovascular health problems; > 0.9 means her risk of cardiovascular problems is high.