Waist to Hip Ratio and Heart Attacks
The ratio of your waist-to-hip measurements offers the best predictor of your heart attack risk, says researchers with the Interheart study. From information on more than 27,000 people from 52 countries, they found that the higher your waist measurement relative to your hip measurement, the greater your heart attack risk, even if you're not overweight. Fat cells in the abdomen affect the pancreas and liver, increasing heart risk, while fat in the hips and thighs does not, say the researchers.
Women with waist-to-hip ratios of more than 0.85 are at increased risk. Men with waist-to-hip ratios of more than 1.0 are at increased risk. To calculate your waist-to-hip ratio, take the circumference of your waist and divide it by the circumference of your hips. For example, a woman with her waist measuring 32" and her hips measuring 36" would have a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.89 and would then be at an increased risk for a heart attack.
Women with waist-to-hip ratios of more than 0.85 are at increased risk. Men with waist-to-hip ratios of more than 1.0 are at increased risk. To calculate your waist-to-hip ratio, take the circumference of your waist and divide it by the circumference of your hips. For example, a woman with her waist measuring 32" and her hips measuring 36" would have a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.89 and would then be at an increased risk for a heart attack.
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