Weight to Height Ratio

[McElmurry]

While doing a little research to help me set a waist measurement goal I came across some information on waist to height ratio as an indicator of health. If you are interested in this topic I started a discussion on the "10% Challenge" social group.

Sorry about the thread title. It is supposed to be waist to height ratio.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I've always felt it best if one's waist was less than one's age...

[Nick the DSM]

At age 18, I don't want a waist any smaller than that.

Waist: 28"
Height: 5'6" on a good day

[AKScott]

You might look at body mass index or "BMI" as well. There are some problems with the general guideline that a BMI of 18-25 is "healthy" and BMI of 25-30 is "overweight".

BMI= 26 or maybe even 27 is not unreasonable for a muscular athlete.

Statistically though, a BMI greater than 30, "obese" is associated with long term health problems with lots of different organ systems.

If you are really big figure out what your weight would have to be for your BMI to be 29.9 and make that target weight your first goal. Getting to that number will put years back on your life expectancy.

FWIW I record BMI on 6-10 patients every day. BMI = 18 or 19 is pretty darn thin if you ask me. Something like 21-26 looks pretty normal to me, perhaps in a hotter climate I might adjust my range down somewhat.

Tons of online calculators at google under "BMI calculator," pick a web server near you.

[EagleJCS]

I loathe using the BMI as any indicator of fitness! It doesn't take into account musculature, aerobic endurance or bone density. (I have a slightly higher than normal bone density, as shown in various x-rays I've had. Several doctors have remarked on it.)

I stand a little under 5'7", and have since I was 14. When I graduated high school, I weighed about 147, which gave me a BMI of 23.0 (in the middle of the healthy range). I wore a size 38 sports coat, with some room to spare.

Then I started weightlifting - concetrating on my upper body - and riding my bicycle. (When I graduated high school my biceps were about the same size as my wrists and I didn't have a lot of upper body strength - I couldn't even do 10 push-ups.) Over the course of four years I gained 20 pounds and increased my chest size by 6 inches, but my waist only increased by 2. That's a BMI of 26.2. I would have been considered overweight even though I had about 10% body fat.

I still have that 44" chest, and most of the muscle tone in my extremities. I can do 20 push-ups without any problems. While I know my weight is currently higher than it should be, my doctor says I'm still fit enough to participate in any activity I want to - within reason. I wouldn't expect to be able to run a marathon tomorrow, but I don't get out of breath taking the stairs. The majority of the excess fat is right around my middle (not a good thing, I know). My BMI says I'm obese, though to look at me, I think most people would say I'm just overweight.

[punk_lawyer]

I loathe using the BMI as any indicator of fitness!

I wouldn't expect to be able to run a marathon tomorrow, but I don't get out of breath taking the stairs.

I am right there with you on thinking the BMI is a poor indicator of general fitness. I am 6' tall or a little over and at my lowest weight in the past 10 years I was at about 205.

I ran my first marathon when I weighed about 205. When I started doing 'boot camp' workouts I began building more upper body muscle mass than I had ever had in my life. My second and third marathons were completed when I was weighing anywhere from 210 to 220. While my BMI was higher in the 2nd and 3rd marathons (29), I can assure you that I was in far better physical condition.

My take on BMI is that it has application to a general overview of someone's condition but that it only scratches the surface. As a side note, I have also been told by doctors that I have a high bone density...that may explain why everyone keeps trying to get things into my 'thick head'.

[McElmurry]

I loathe using the BMI as any indicator of fitness!

Because nobody has gone to the social group to read my post and are taking issue with BMI, which is exactly to the point, I will repost it here.

Recent studies indicate waist to height ratio (WHtR) may be a better indicator of overall health than BMI. This is because WHtR is an indirect measure of visceral fat, the fat around your organs. Visceral fat is implicated in the onset of type II diabetes and heart disease. So if you are setting a fitness goal you might consider setting a waist measurement goal rather than a weight goal which is influenced by increases in muscle mass.

Here is a link to a handy calculator.http://home.fuse.net/clymer/bmi/#willoughby

Again, sorry about the thread title which was supposed to be waist to height ratio.

[AKScott]

I agree that visceral fat is exactly the problem with BMI. Having followed your link:

Once upon a time many moons ago I was a 5'10" 19 year old, 209#, 28" waist. I could bench 300# and stopped pushing on squats at 385# because that weight made my leg sore in the knee joint as well as thigh muscle. BMI 30.1, WHtR 40%.

Now many years later I am, ahem, no longer 19, still 5'10", 190#, 36" waist. BMI = 27.3, WHtR 51.4.

I suspect dropping my waist line to 34" or so would put my WHtR just under 50%, my BMI would probably still be 26ish, and I would probably look and feel better.

[McElmurry]

I suspect dropping my waist line to 34" or so would put my WHtR just under 50%, my BMI would probably still be 26ish, and I would probably look and feel better.

I am 39" now. Fifty percent WHtR would put me back in the healthy range at 37" and 34" would put me at ideal. Here are some ratios and associated health levels from the above website.

Subjects
WHtR

Barbie Doll
25.0%

Ken Doll
36.0%

Female College Swimmers
42.4%

Male College Swimmers
42.8%

Willoughby Ideal
45.8%

WHO Increased Risk Females
49.2%

General Healthy Cutoff
50.0%

NHANES Risk Equivalent to BMI of 25
51.0%

WHO Increased Risk Males
53.6%

WHO Substantially Increased Risk Females
54.1%

NHANES Risk Equivalent to BMI of 30
57.0%

Willoughby Obese
57.7%

WHO Substantially Increased Risk Males
58.2%

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

...pass me another eclair while I calculate my BMI, or whatever it is...