Waist-to-hip ratio outperforms BMI in health prediction
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A recent study published by the journal JAMA Network Open suggests that waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) may be a more effective indicator than Body Mass Index (BMI) for predicting a person’s future health problems. Unlike BMI, which measures overall body mass without distinguishing between fat and muscle, WHR specifically assesses the distribution of body fat, particularly around the waist compared to the hips. This measure is considered to provide a more accurate evaluation of the risk for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke, as central fat distribution is a known risk factor.
Source
Harris E. Study: Waist-to-Hip Ratio Might Predict Mortality Better Than BMI. JAMA. 2023;330(16):1515–1516. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.19205
Additional Reading
https://www.health.com/waist-to-hip-ratio-health-indicator-8285898