Energy balance
Waist circumference is a better indicator of diabetes risk than Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) because it has less measurement error and remains a significant predictor even after controlling for BMI, whereas WHR's association is largely explained by overall obesity.
Use waist circumference as a key health metric. A waist size >40 inches is associated with a significantly higher risk of diabetes. While BMI is important, waist circumference provides additional insight into abdominal fat, which is a strong predictor of diabetes risk. Measure your waist at the umbilicus and aim for a size well below 40 inches.
These data suggest that waist circumference may be a better indicator than WHR of the relationship between abdominal adiposity and risk of diabetes... The increased risks of diabetes associated with having a high WHR and the increased risks observed among men with large waist circumferences may both be due to the metabolic complications of having high levels of abdominal adiposity. Because waist circumference has less measurement error than WHR, it may be a better indicator of the relationship between abdominal adiposity and the risk of diabetes.
Why this rating
Large prospective cohort with detailed anthropometric measurements and validation of self-reported measures.
Source
Obesity, Fat Distribution, and Weight Gain as Risk Factors for Clinical Diabetes in Men
June M. Chan et al. · Diabetes Care · 1994
DOI 10.2337/diacare.17.9.961
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