waist–hip ratio waist–hip ratio the waist–hip ratio or waist-to-hip ratio (whr) is the dimensionless ratio of the circumference of the waist to that of the hips. this is calculated as waist measurement divided by hip measurement (w⁄h). for example, a person with a 30″ waist and 38″ hips (or a 75cm waist and 95cm hips) has whr of about 0.79. the venus de milo has a whr value of 0.76. part of a series onhuman body weight general concepts obesity (epidemiology) overweight underweight body shape weight gain weight loss gestational weight gain diet (nutrition) weight management overnutrition childhood obesity (epidemiology) medical concepts adipose tissue classification of obesity genetics of obesity metabolic syndrome (epidemiology of metabolic syndrome) metabolically healthy obesity obesity paradox set point theory measurements body adiposity index body mass index body fat percentage body shape index corpulence index lean body mass relative fat mass waist–hip ratio waist-to-height ratio related conditions diabetes (type 1) eating disorder (anorexia • bulimia • binge eating disorder) food addiction hyperthyroidism malnutrition red-s starvation (starvation response) pcos obesity-associated morbidity arteriosclerosis atherosclerosis fatty liver disease gerd gynecomastia heart disease hypertension obesity and cancer osteoarthritis prediabetes sleep apnea type 2 diabetes management of obesity anti-obesity medication bariatrics bariatric surgery dieting (list of diets) caloric deficit exercise (outline) liposuction obesity medicine weight loss camp weight loss coaching yo-yo effect social aspects comfort food fast food (criticism) fat acceptance movement fat fetishism health at every size hunger obesity and the environment obesity and sexuality sedentary lifestyle social determinants of obesity social stigma of obesity weight cutting weight class the whr has been used as an indicator or measure of health, fertility, and the risk of developing serious health conditions. whr correlates with perceptions of physical attractiveness. measurement example of a 0.7 whr (left) compared to a ratio of 0.9 (right). in a lean person, the waist can be measured at its narrowest point, while for an obese person, it may be measured at about 1 in (2.5 cm) above the navel. the hip is measured at its widest portion of the buttocks at left, and at the greater trochanters at right. who protocol according to the world health organization's data gathering protocol, the waist circumference should be measured at the midpoint between the lower margin of the last palpable ribs and the top of the iliac crest, using a stretch-resistant tape that provides constant 100 g (3.53 oz) tension. hip circumference should be measured around the widest portion of the buttocks, with the tape parallel to the floor. other organizations use slightly different standards. the united states national institutes of health and the national health and nutrition examination survey used results obtained by measuring at the top of the iliac crest. waist measurements are usually obtained by laypersons by measurings around the waist at the navel, but research has shown that these measurements may underestimate the true waist circumference. for both measurements, the individual should stand with feet close together, arms at the side and body weight evenly distributed, and should wear little clothing. the subject should be relaxed, and the measurements should be taken at the end of a normal respiration. each measurement should be repeated twice; if the measurements are within 1 cm of one another, the average should be calculated. if the difference between the two measurements exceeds 1 cm, the two measurements should be repeated. practical measurement practically, however, the waist is more conveniently measured simply at the smallest circumference of the natural waist, usually just above the belly button, and the hip circumference may likewise be measured at its widest part of the buttocks or hip. also, in case the waist is convex rather than concave, such as with different body types, and obesity, the waist may be measured at a horizontal level 1″ (2.5 cm) above the navel. indicator of health serious health conditions the whr has been used as an indicator or measure of health, and as a risk factor for developing serious health conditions. whr is used as a measurement of obesity, which in turn is a possible indicator of other more serious health conditions. the who states that abdominal obesity is defined as a waist–hip ratio above 0.90 for males and above 0.85 for females, or a body mass index (bmi) above 30.0. the national institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases (niddk) states that "total cholesterol levels are usually higher in persons with predominant abdominal obesity, defined as a waist-to-hip circumference ratio of ≥ 0.8 for women and ≥ 1.0 for men. dgsp who niddk womenmen womenmen womenmen under-weight ?? ?? ?? normal weight < 0.80< 0.90 ?? ?? over-weight 0.80–0.840.90–0.99 ?? ?? obese > 0.85> 1.00 > 0.85> 0.90 > 0.80> 1.00 whr has been found to be a more efficient predictor of mortality in older people (>75 years of age) than waist circumference or bmi. if obesity is redefined using whr instead of bmi, the proportion of people categorized as at risk of heart attack worldwide increases threefold. whr may be less accurate in individuals with a bmi of 35 or higher, and more complex to interpret since an increased whr may result from increased abdominal fat or decreased lean muscle mass around the hips. the body fat percentage is considered to be an even more accurate measure of relative weight. of these three measurements, only the waist–hip ratio takes account of the differences in body structure. hence, it is possible for two people of the same sex to have different body mass indices but the same waist–hip ratio, or to have the same body mass index but different waist–hip ratios. whr has been shown to be a better predictor of cardiovascular disease than simple waist circumference and body-mass index. the study by american heart association has shown that measuring waistline and comparing it to hip size might be a better way to predict heart disease risk than a widely used body mass index. however, other studies have found waist circumference (particularly waist-to-height ratio) to be a better indicator of cardiovascular risk factors than the waist–hip ratio, body fat distribution, and hypertension in type 2 diabetes. stress the stress hormone cortisol is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (hpa) axis and has been associated with higher levels of abdominal fat and therefore a higher whr. abdominal fat is a marker of visceral fat (stored around important internal organs such as the liver, pancreas and intestines) and has greater blood flow and more receptors for cortisol than peripheral fat. the greater the number of cortisol receptors, the more sensitive the visceral fat tissue is to cortisol. this heightened sensitivity to cortisol stimulates fat cells to further increase in size. women who have a combination of normal bmi and high whr experience elevated cortisol reactivity to acute stressors and failure to habituate to repeated stressors, compared to women with normal whr. this suggests that high whr might also indicate hpa-axis dysregulation and over-exposure to cortisol. evidence for the relationship between cortisol and central fat distribution has primarily been studied in individuals with cushing's syndrome. this is characterized by over-exposure to cortisol due to elevated activity of the hpa axis. a primary component of cushing's syndrome is the accumulation of fat in the abdominal region, and it is hypothesized that elevated cortisol levels contribute to this accumulation. however, this hypothesis remains contested as cortisol levels only modestly explain variation in central fat distribution. it is more likely that a complex set of biological and neuroendocrine pathways related to cortisol secretion contribute to central adiposity, such as leptin, neuropeptide y, corticotropin releasing factor and the sympathetic nervous system. growth and development in general, adults with growth hormone deficiencies also have increased whrs. adults with untreated congenital isolated growth hormone deficiency have increased whrs, possibly from increased cortisone–cortisol ratios and insulin sensitivities. since these individuals have increased visceral obesity, it has been suggested that a minimal growth hormone secretion would theoretically increase insulin resistance. however, because of the growth hormone deficiency, this insulin resistance point cannot be reached and these individuals are more sensitive to insulin. increased adipose deposits are therefore more likely to form in these individuals, causing the high whr. growth hormone deficiencies have also been correlated with whrs in prepubertal children; the specific baseline body statistics, such as whrs, of pre-pubertal children with growth hormone deficiencies can predict growth response effectiveness to artificial growth hormone therapies, such as rhgh treatments. sex characteristics males with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, determined by cyp21a2 mutations, have increased whrs. fertility women with high whr (0.80 or higher) have significantly lower pregnancy rates than women with lower whrs (0.70–0.79), independent of their bmis. men with whrs around 0.9, similarly, have been shown to be more healthy and fertile with less prostate cancer and testicular cancer. evidence suggests that whr is an accurate somatic indicator of reproductive endocrinological status and long-term health risk. among girls with identical body weights, those with lower whrs show earlier pubertal endocrine activity, as measured by high levels of lutenizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, as well as sex steroid (estradiol) activity. a dutch prospective study on outcome in an artificial insemination program provides evidence for the role of whr and fecundity. these investigators report that a 0.1 unit increase in whr decreases the probability of conception per cycle by 30% after adjustment for age, obesity, reasons for artificial insemination, cycle length and regularity, smoking, and parity. menopause, the natural or surgical cessation of the menstrual cycle, is due to an overall decrease in ovarian production of the hormones estradiol and progesterone. these hormonal changes are also associated with an increase in whr independent of increases in body mass. significantly, studies find that large premenopausal whrs are associated with lower estradiol levels and variation in age of menopause onset. circulating estrogen preferentially stores lipid deposits in the gluteofemoral region, including the buttocks and thighs, and evidence suggests that menopause-associated estrogen deficiency results in an accumulation of adipose deposits around the abdomen. these menopause-induced changes in body fat distribution can be counteracted with hormone replacement therapy. in contrast, aging males gradually accumulate abdominal fat, and hence increased whr, in parallel with declining androgen levels. cognitive ability using data from the u.s. national center for health statistics, william lassek at the university of pittsburgh in pennsylvania and steven gaulin of the university of california, santa barbara, found a child's performance in cognitive tests correlated to their mother's waist–hip ratio, a proxy for how much fat she stores on her hips. children whose mothers had wide hips and a low waist–hip ratio scored highest, leading lassek and gaulin to suggest that fetuses benefit from hip fat, which contains long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, critical for the development of the fetus's brain. in addition, evidence suggests that children of low-whr teens were protected from the cognitive deficits often associated with teen birth. human genetics studies in twins have suggested that between 22% and 61% of variability in waist-to-hip ratio may be accounted for by genetic factors. as an indicator of attractiveness male attractiveness research has found waist-to-chest ratio to be the largest determinant of male attractiveness, with body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio not as significant. female attractiveness venus of willendorf. the earliest known representations of female figures date from 23,000 to 25,000 years ago. and had bodies with vestigial head and limbs, noted for their very high waist–hip ratio of 1:1 or more. it may be that the artists' "depictions of corpulent, middle-aged females were not 'venuses' in any conventional sense. they may, instead, have symbolized the hope for survival and longevity, within well-nourished and reproductively successful communities." whr is considered as one of the three determinants of female attractiveness, the other two being body mass index (bmi), and curvaceousness. the concept and significance of whr as an indicator of attractiveness was first theorized by evolutionary psychologist devendra singh at the university of texas at austin in 1993. singh argued that the whr was a more consistent estrogen marker than the bust–waist ratio (bwr) studied at king's college, london by glenn wilson in the 1970s. some researchers have found that the waist–hip ratio is a significant measure of female attractiveness. women with a 0.7 whr are usually rated as more attractive by men from various cultures. preferences may vary, according to some studies, ranging