An evaluation of waist to hip ratio measurement methods in relation to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in men.

The purpose of this study was to determine which method of measuring waist to hip ratio (WHR) was the most effective in assessing decrements associated with an abdominal fat distribution in 46 non-obese, middle to older aged men (mean +/- s.e., age 52.8 +/- 0.88 years; body fat 19.7 +/- 0.72 percent). Circumferences were obtained at the following sites and WHR calculated (waist circumference/hip circumference): (1) minimal waist/maximal hip; (2) level of umbilicus/maximal hip; (3) level of umbilicus/level of greater trochanters; (4) level of umbilicus/level of superior iliac spine; and (5) level of 1/3 of the distance between the xiphiod process and umbilicus/level 4 cm below the superior iliac spine. Significant (P less than 0.05) associations were observed for measurement methods 1, 2 and 3 with indices of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, body composition, and fitness level. Measurement method 5 was not related to any metabolic or physiological variables, while measurement method 4 was intermediate in terms of the strength of the associations. These findings suggest that the predictive strength of WHR can vary depending upon the measurement method used.