What waist-to-hip ratio (WTHR) indicates increased risk?
Recently reported data from the INTERHEART study suggest that WTHR is a far better predictor than body mass index (BMI) of myocardial infarction (MI) risk across diverse populations.1 By using a more precise tool like WTHR, physicians and public-health officials can identify not only individuals but also populations at risk for MI who might have previously been overlooked on the basis of “normal” BMIs. For example, people with BMI in the range of 20 to 23, who would not be considered obese by usual standards, but who are in the highest quintile of WTHR, have a risk for MI equal to that associated with a BMI of more than 30. Conversely, an individual with a BMI greater than 30 who is in the lowest quintile of WTHR may be at lower risk than someone who has a lower BMI but a higher WTHR. Ideally, women should have a WTHR of 0.8 or less and men, of 0.95 or less. The ratio is calculated simply by dividing the circumference of the waist by that of the hips (waist/hip = waist:hip ratio). The
