We know that a high Body Mass Index (BMI) can be an indicator of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Recently, another significant measurement has gained attention: waist circumference.
First, stand upright and use a measuring tape to measure your waist (just below the last rib) and your hips (the top of the hip bone). Then, refer to the information below to understand what those measurements indicate:
If your waist measurement is greater than or equal to 91 cm, you may be overweight and at risk for heart disease or diabetes.
The smaller the ratio of waist to hip measurements, the better. For example, if your waist measurement is 70 cm and your hip measurement is 80 cm, the waist-to-hip ratio is 0.8. However, if your waist measurement is 81 cm and your hip measurement is 79 cm, the ratio will be 1.02. A ratio of 1.02 indicates a significantly increased risk of disease.
