According to the American Heart Association, a pear shaped body is healthier than an apple shaped body. The people who carry weight around the waist are apple shaped and those with heavy hips ans a comparatively slimmer waist are pear shaped. The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) looks at the relationship between the differences in the measurements of your waist and hips. Women with waist-to-hip ratios of more than 0.8 or men with waist-to-hip ratios of more than 1.0 are “apples.” Fat stores that are carried around your middle (apple shape) are believed to increase your health risk for diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.
To find your waist-to-hip ratio, measure the waist at its narrowest point and then measure the hips at the widest point.
Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement
waist _________ (at or below navel) รทย hip_________ (where buttocks are the largest)
Another way of measuring measuring whether you have a healthy waist size is your waist circumference. According to the National Institutes of Health, a high Waist Circumference (WC) is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension and cardiovascular disease when the BMI is between 25 and 34.9.
Changes in Waist Circumference over time can indicated an increase or decrease in abdominal fat. Increased abdominal fat is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
To determine your Waist Circumference, locate the upper hip bone and place a measuring tape around the abdomen (ensuring that the tape measure is horizontal). The tape measure should be snug but should not cause compressions on the skin.