Implications of WaisttoHip Ratio Measurement Going for the 3 Increases: Increase in Health, Increase

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Implications of Waist-to-Hip Ratio Measurement
Going for the 3 Increases Increase in Health,
Increase in Happiness Increase in Energy

• Strategies for Success in Weight Management
• By James J. Messina, Ph.D.

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Waist Hip Ratio

• Recent data indicate that the pattern of fat
  distribution throughout the body is an important
  predictor of the health risks of obesity
• Exercise scientists have classified where the fat
  is deposited on the body in two categories
• male-pattern (or apples)
• female-pattern (or pears).

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Waist Hip Ratio

• Apples characteristically deposit high amounts of
  fat in the abdominal and trunk regions
  Predominately male but females can have this body
  type
• Pears deposit high amounts of fat in the hip,
  buttocks, and thigh regions Predominately
  female but males can have this body type

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How to Calculate Waist-to-Hip ratio (WHR)

• Divide the waist circumference by the hip
  circumference
• Waist circumference is defined as the smallest
  circumference between the rib cage and
  bellybutton
• Hip circumference is defined as the largest
  circumference of the hip-buttocks region

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Waist Hip Ratio

• Apples
• Men with WHR values exceeding 0.95 Women with WHR
  values above 0.80 Pears
• Men with WHR values less than 0.95
• Women with WHR values less than 0.80

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APPLES

• Research has shown apples are at a greater risk
  for developing a number of health-related
  problems, the most prominent being
• hypertension (i.e., high blood pressure),
• type II diabetes (i.e., non-insulin dependent
  diabetes
• hyperlipidemia (i.e., elevated levels of fat in
  the blood).

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APPLES Health Risk comes from 2 characteristics
of abdominal fat cells

• Abdominal fat cells tend to be larger than those
  located in other regions of the body.
• Relatively large fat cells are associated with
  insulin resistance (i.e., reduced tissue
  responsiveness to insulin), which means body
  cells will take up less glucose (sugar) from the
  blood, causing the blood sugar level to rise
  Full-blown diabetes (type II) can develop
• In response to the elevated blood sugar level,
  the pancreas secretes more and more insulin
  (hyperinsulinemia).

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APPLES Health Risk comes from 2 characteristics
of abdominal fat cells

• Hyperinsulinemia, by promoting sodium
  reabsorption by the kidneys and stimulating the
  sympathetic nervous system, can predispose an
  apple to hypertension
• Rates of enzyme-initiated chemical reactions are
  higher for abdominal fat cells they are more
  metabolically active than fat cells located in
  other regions of the body more metabolically
  active abdominal fat cells can be easily released
  into the blood stream resulting in
  hyperlipidemia.

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Good News for APPLES

• Research has shown that weight reduction tends to
  be easier for them, as they benefit from the high
  turnover rate of abdominal fat.
• Apples are at a greater health risk but weight
  reduction, exercise training and a prudent diet
  can help to counteract many of the negative
  health consequences of obesity and result in a
  weight toss that can be maintained.

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Bad-Good News for Pears

• For pears, however, weight loss is more difficult
  because fat cells in the hip, buttock, and thigh
  regions do not easily relinquish their fat.
• This tendency for pears to stubbornly hold onto
  their fat helps to ensure that nursing mothers
  maintain sufficient energy reserves.
• Weight reduction, exercise training and a prudent
  diet can help to counteract many of the negative
  health consequences of obesity and result in a
  weight toss that can be maintained.