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Your waistline measurement can estimate your heart disease risk – Discover how

4 min. read

When it comes to measuring body type and screening for obesity, traditional methods like Body Mass Index (BMI) have often been front of mind.  In fact, you may have already calculated your BMI today (or can do so here later).  

Your waistline measurement can estimate your heart disease risk – discover how

Exercise can help improve your WHtR and your CV health

BMI is usually used to measure the health risks linked to obesity because of its easy calculation and interpretation. Typically, as BMI goes up, the risk of health problems can increase. However, some people may have a “normal” BMI but still carry a high amount of body fat, particularly around the abdomen.

So, although BMI can screen for obesity, it can’t measure body fat distribution. Body fat distribution may indicate someone’s risk of heart related conditions, which they may be unaware of. Additionally, the link between BMI and cardiovascular risk factors can also change based on ethnicity. For example, Asian populations tend to see an increased risk of heart related conditions at a lower BMI than Caucasian populations.

To address possible limitations to the BMI, and to help give a broader understanding of the risks associated with obesity, the Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) can be used. This calculated ratio focuses on the relationship between waist circumference and height to identify cardiovascular risk related to obesity. By dividing your waist measurement by your height, this ratio provides insights into how fat is distributed throughout the body—particularly visceral (abdominal) fat, which may lead to serious health conditions like heart disease, diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure).

Check your Waist-to-Height Ratio

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What is ‘visceral fat’, and how does it relate to obesity?

The Waist-to-Height Ratio focuses specifically on waist circumference relative to height, to give a picture of how much fat is stored in the abdominal region.

This fat can be categorised into two groups:

  • Subcutaneous fat: typically, in adults subcutaneous fat makes up around 85% of all body fat and sits just below the skin.
  • Visceral fat: this lies deeper in the body, and surrounds your internal organs such as your stomach, liver and intestines. In healthy adults, it usually makes up the other 10-15% of all the fat in your body

Visceral fat is different from subcutaneous fat in several ways:

  • Higher levels of harmful chemicals: it produces more substances that cause inflammation, which can damage your body over time
  • Fewer helpful hormones: visceral fat also makes fewer hormones, such as leptin, that can help regulate your appetite and keep your body healthy

High levels of visceral fat can become a problem, due to the following:

  • Decreased insulin sensitivity: which can lead to insulin resistance and increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
  • Increased fat breakdown: excess visceral fat breaks down more easily, releasing more fatty acids into the blood

By measuring abdominal fat, the Waist-to-Height Ratio can offer an indication of your risk of other serious conditions linked to obesity, such as heart disease. While the thresholds for risk levels are well identified, a general rule is to keep your waist circumference to less than half of your height, to help reduce the risk of potential health problems.

References
  • Twells LK, Janssen I, Kulk JL. Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines: Epidemiology of Adult Obesity. Available from: https://obesitycanada.ca/guidelines/epidemiology. Accessed October 2024
  • Powell-Wiley, T.M. et al. (2021) ‘Obesity and cardiovascular disease: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association’, Circulation, 143(21). doi:10.1161/cir.0000000000000973.
  • Jill Jin, M. (2013) Obesity and the heart, JAMA. Available at: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1779537 Accessed: October 2024
  • Yoo, E.-G. (2016) ‘Waist-to-height ratio as a screening tool for obesity and cardiometabolic risk’, Korean Journal of Pediatrics, 59(11), p. 425. doi:10.3345/kjp.2016.59.11.425.
  • Ashwell, Margaret. (2011). Charts Based on Body Mass Index and Waist-to-Height Ratio to Assess the Health Risks of Obesity: A Review. The Open Obesity Journal. 311. 78-84. 10.2174/1876823701103010078.
  • Lau DCW, Wharton S. Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines: The Science of Obesity. Available from:  The Science of Obesity - Obesity Canada Accessed October 2024
  • Visceral fat: What it is & how to get rid of it (2024) Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24147-visceral-fat (Accessed: 14 October 2024).

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