Healthy hip to waist ratio

Introduction

The proportion between your hips and your waist is being used more and more by the physicians who seem to prefer it over the BMI index measurement, since they believe it is a better indicator of the chance of obesity and heart and vessels issues.

Provided your hip to waist ratio is lower than 0.75, the potential danger for developing health problems is negligible, due to the fact that most likely the bulk of your fat is not centered on your torso. However, bear in mind that this indicator does not mean that you are not overweight - you could still have a surplus of body weight which is deposited on the body parts other than the torso, in which case your health may still be in danger.

Does the shape have an impact and why?

Some studies have shown that having body fat centered on your torso is certainly a worse case scenario than having it distributed in a different manner, say on your legs, hips, or arms. It remains true of the excessive body fat that it is first and foremost a load you have to carry around, but there is also another interesting fact. The fat stored mainly on the torso seems to act as a functional endocrine organ that produces hormones and irritating substances that can have an impact on other body parts and increase the risk of illnesses such as diabetes, liver problems, stroke, cancer, or infertility. Definitely, the distribution of the fat in your body bears a significant risk on your heath, so it is an issue worth of you attention. Distribution of the fat is a result of different intertwining factors.

Factors that influence the shape

The shape of your body is determined by various factors. The most prominent is certainly your genetic scheme. People can have different body shapes according to their genetics - some are more prone to centering the excessive weight centrally while others tend to put on weight mainly on their limbs.

Another factor to be taken into serious consideration is the level of the physical activity. Routine sports activities are certainly the most recommended ones - taking up a sport or a recreational activity is desirable and highly beneficial. However, if for some reason you cannot work out regularly, there are things you still can do. Instead of taking the bus or going to work by car, try walking. Use the stairs instead of the elevator whenever you can, and the benefits will soon manifest.