How to measure your Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR).

Recently, researchers have suggested that the Waist to Hip ratio (WHR) provides a better indication of whether an individual has too much body fat. The Waist to Hip ratio measures the relationship between your waist circumference and hip circumference. The lower your WHR, the better.

Women with a Waist-to-Hip ratio of 0.8 or less, or men with a ratio of 0.9 or less are considered safe. A WHR of 1.0 or higher for either gender is considered risky and  such people are more  likely to develop overweight related problems.

To calculate your WHR ratio, you'll need:

•  A measuring tape
• A pencil and paper
• A calculator

Start by wrapping a measuring tape around your waist making sure that the tape measure sits in the narrowest part of your torso. On most people, this is just above the belly button. The result is your waist circumference, write it down.

Next, you'll wrap a tape around your hips at the widest point. Make sure it is flat against your skin. You may use a mirror or ask a friend to help you out so that you can get an accurate measurement. The result is your hip circumference. You should also write this down.

Now that you have your waist and hip circumference, the next thing is to  divide your waist circumference by your hip circumference to get your Waist-to-Hip ratio. For instance, if your waist circumference is 26 inches and your hip circumference is 37 inches, you should divide 26 by 37 ( 26/37 = 0.70).

If you are actively trying to lose weight,  you should check your WHR every one to six months. Write down the measurement every time you take it, as a means of tracking your progress over time. As you lose weight, your WHR will decrease.