The waist-to-height ratio is the best simple indicator of cardiovascular risk and mortality, followed by waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio.1 For health promotion, you want to keep your waist-to-height ratio below 0.5. This translates to the simple rule “Keep your waist circumference less than half your height”. For more information on the Waist-to-Height ratio, see “Waist-to-height ratio as screening tool for testosterone deficiency and health risk”.
For more information on the Waist-to-Height ratio, see waist to height ratio as a screening tool for testosterone deficiency and health risk
How to interpret your waist-to-height ratio value:
< 0.4
You might be too thin
0.4 – 0.5
You are a healthy pear
* As a preparation for your appointment with your doctor you can check yourself for symptoms that might be indicative of testosterone deficiency with the Aging Males’ Symptoms (AMS) scale. A high AMS score combined with a waist-to-height ratio above 0.5 is strongly suggestive of testosterone deficiency.
The Ashwell Shape Chart®
In the Ashwell Shape Chart® below you can easily see graphically – based on your waist and height measure – in which zone you are, and see how much you need to reduce your waist to move into a healthier zone.
References
- Schneider HJ, Glaesmer H, Klotsche J, et al. Accuracy of anthropometric indicators of obesity to predict cardiovascular risk. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2007;92(2):589-594. Return to content
- Allan CA, Peverill RE, Strauss BJ, Forbes EA, McLachlan RI. Waist-to-height ratio as a predictor of serum testosterone in ageing men with symptoms of androgen deficiency. Asian journal of andrology. 2011;13(3):424-431. Return to content
- Svartberg J, von Muhlen D, Sundsfjord J, Jorde R. Waist circumference and testosterone levels in community dwelling men. The Tromso study. Eur. J. Epidemiol. 2004;19(7):657-663. Return to content
- Ashwell M, Mayhew L, Richardson J, Rickayzen B. Waist-to-height ratio is more predictive of years of life lost than body mass index. PloS one. 2014;9(9):e103483. Return to content
Don't forget to print out your results and take them to your doctor on your next visit.