Waist–hip ratio

As a waist -to-hip ratio ( THV ) - engl. Waist- hip ratio or waist-to - hip ratio ( WHR ) - the ratio between waist and hip circumference is given.

Evolutionary Biology

The THV is regarded as a measure of the attractiveness of a woman by - independent of culture - women are judged with a value of 0.7 and less of men than attractive. Was first emphasized this connection in 1993 by psychologist Devendra Singh of the University of Austin in Texas, who photographed in Playboy Models and especially the " Playmates of the Month" the years 1955-1990 heranzog here for his investigations and, starting from 700 men interviewed. Intermediate term, these findings were, inter alia, supplemented by the earlier study English, Indian and Chinese literature in which continuous only slim waists, but not large waist circumferences are mentioned with admiration in women.

Biological evolution is this "hourglass silhouette " a reference to the fertility and health of a woman. Encouraged by this thesis is the fact that with the onset of puberty in girls forms the waist or chest and hip grow, thus decreasing the THV while it increases with the entry into the menopause again.

Cardiology

The waist - hip ratio is the ratio of abdominal to hip circumference. This can be calculated as follows: circumference of the waist / circumference of the hip; the waist midway between the iliac crest and rib cage and the hip is measured at the thickest point.

This ratio should be less than 1.0 in men and in women less than 0.85.

The waist - hip ratio provides the answer to the question of where the fat deposits are sitting. Belly -fitting obesity (apple type) means a much higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The overweight rather than the fat distribution pattern is less crucial for cardiovascular risk. Particularly disadvantageous effect here fat deposits from the abdomen and the internal organs. This deep abdominal fat ( visceral fat ) is very metabolically active, because it is put together differently than the fat on the buttocks, hips and thighs. It produces particularly large number of fatty acids that are converted by the liver into other fats. With the increase of the internal abdominal fat therefore also increases the risk of complications. Diabetes and high blood pressure can occur, and especially the blood fat change unfavorable: the " bad" LDL cholesterol increases and at the same time takes the vasoprotective "positive" HDL cholesterol from. This results in the next step to form deposits on the interior walls of the arteries. This constrict the vessels and the supply of organs with nutrients and oxygen is limited.

As similarly meaningful or even superior is the sole measurement of waist circumference viewed (qv) now.

Sports Medicine

In sports medicine, the ratio of waist circumference and hip circumference is also known as HBU. Waist circumference is measured midway between the iliac crest and costal margin parallel to the ground. The hip measurement is the largest measure across the buttocks.

In the guideline screening in Sports The DGSP specifies the following values ​​for the HBU: