Hormonal
Waist circumference is a valid surrogate marker for abdominal fat mass (both subcutaneous and intra-abdominal) and correlates strongly with cardiometabolic disease risk, though it does not distinguish between the two fat types.
Waist circumference is a reliable way to estimate abdominal fat, which is linked to heart and metabolic health. For consistent tracking, measure at the same spot (midpoint between ribs and hips) each time. It is more informative than weight alone for assessing metabolic risk.
Waist circumference (WC) is often used as a surrogate marker of abdominal fat mass, because WC correlates with abdominal fat mass (subcutaneous and intra-abdominal) and is associated with cardiometabolic disease risk.
Why this rating
Strong correlation with imaging studies (MRI/CT) and epidemiological outcomes.
Source
Waist Circumference and Cardiometabolic Risk: A Consensus Statement from Shaping America's Health: Association for Weight Management and Obesity Prevention; NAASO, The Obesity Society; the American Society for Nutrition; and the American Diabetes Association
Samuel Klein et al. · Obesity · 2007
DOI 10.1038/oby.2007.632
More from this paper
- Waist circumference (WC) is a stronger predictor of type 2 diabetes risk than body mass index (BMI), and WC identifies cardiometabolic risk in individuals with normal BMI who would otherwise be missed by BMI-based screening.Good
- Reducing waist circumference through diet and exercise improves cardiometabolic risk factors, but the reduction in WC itself may not be the direct cause of the benefit; rather, it reflects broader metabolic improvements.Moderate
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