Key result
The waist-to-height ratio is a globally applicable anthropometric measure for assessing obesity health risks, with a simple message to keep waist circumference to less than half of height.
Why the study?
Is the waist-to-height ratio an effective and globally applicable measure to assess the health risks of obesity compared to other anthropometric measures?
Is the waist-to-height ratio an effective and globally applicable measure to assess the health risks of obesity compared to other anthropometric measures?
The waist-to-height ratio is a simple, globally applicable anthropometric measure for assessing obesity-related health risks, summarized by the message to keep waist circumference to less than half of height.
May support global obesity screening; leaves open prospective validation versus other measures.
This article reviews the benefits and limitations of some of the different anthropometric measures to assess the health risks of obesity. Those covered are the body mass index, the waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference and the waist-to-height ratio. The latter has the potential to be globally applicable to different ethnic populations and to children and adults. The suggested boundary values of 0.5 and 0.6 are used in a shape chart and shape calculator, described here, to indicate different levels of health risk in adults and children. A simple message from this work is 'keep your waist circumference to less than half your height'.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Margaret Ashwell (2009) conducted a review in Obesity. Waist-to-height ratio vs. Body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference was evaluated on Health risks of obesity. The waist-to-height ratio is a globally applicable anthropometric measure for assessing obesity health risks, with a simple message to keep waist circumference to less than half of height.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: