BMI or body mass index has been used for decades as the go to measurement for health. However, BMI does not take into account what the body is composed of, i.e muscle mass, bone density and overall body composition. For that reason, it is not always the best and most accurate measurement available to us. For example, a body builder, despite having very low body fat and a small waist measurement would be classified as obese on the BMI scale.
A better indicator of health is your waist measurement
If there is fat around your middle, then this usually means there is excess fat build up around your organs. Body fat stored around the waist is highly correlated with an increased risk of health problems including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Waist to height ratio is a simple measure of the distribution of body fat. It’s an easy tool to access and interpret. Waist / height =
What’s a healthy waist to height ratio?
A healthy waist to height ratio is below 0.5
When it comes to losing weight, instead of getting frustrated by the ever fluctuating number on the scales, a healthy waist to height ratio would be a fantastic goal for anyone who wants to optimise their health and look good in the process!