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After either calculating your waist-to-height ratio by hand or using an online calculator, see how your results measure up.  You can use this information to direct you on a path towards better health.  Waist-to-height ratio cannot necessarily tell you that you are overweight or underweight or even give you a specific amount of weight to lose.  However, it does give you information about how much excess fat you have around your mid-section. Increased levels of abdominal fat, especially visceral fat (the kind found in and around your abdominal organs) can be dangerous and increases your risk for diabetes, heart disease and breast cancer. Waist-to-height ratios will differ between men and women.  Since men typically have more muscle mass and store excess fat in different locations, interpreting your ratio correctly is essential.  For men, if your waist-to-height ratio is over .53, you're more than likely overweight.  If it's over .63, you may even be obese.  With ratio levels this high, you may benefit from weight loss.  If your waist-to-height ratio is .43 – .52 as a man, you're most likely at a normal weight and do not have increased levels of visceral fat.  However, if your ratio is below .43 it may suggest that you're too thin and underweight. Although very similar to the guidelines for men, women have more wiggle room when it comes to their waist-to-height ratio.  For women, it's very similar.  If your waist-to-height ratio is above .49 you're more than likely overweight and if it's over .58 you could even be obese. A normal waist-to-height ratio for women is between .42 – .48.  If it's less than .42 you may be too thin and considered underweight. Your waist-to-height ratio is just one measure of your overall health.  Alone, it will not give you a clear picture of whether you're over or underweight or whether or not you would benefit from a change to your weight.  Whenever you're trying to determine whether or not you should lose or gain weight, it's best to find out a variety of weight measurements — not just one.  The more measurements you have, the more clear of a picture you'll get. Consider your ideal body weight.  This is done by a calculation that uses your gender and height to find an appropriate weight for you.  If your weight is above or below this value, you may benefit from weight gain or loss.  BMI is another measure that could indicate whether or not you're overweight.  Similar to waist-to-height ratio, BMI shows how much body fat you have in relation to lean mass.  The higher the BMI, the more likely it is that you're overweight or obese. Check your waist-to-hip ratio. This is similar to the waist-to-height ratio and can provide you with similar information about visceral fat. This ratio is determined by the following calculation: waist measurement divided by hip measurement. Waist circumference is something you should already have from doing your waist-to-height ratio.  This is the measurement around your midsection.  If your waist circumference is high (over 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men), it suggests that you are carrying a lot of excess weight that could be visceral fat. Now that you have your actual waist-to-height ratio and also have information regarding your current weight, BMI and waist circumference, you can bring this information to a meeting with your doctor.  If you've figured out a variety of weight measures and are noticing that many are indicating that you're overweight or obese, it's a smart idea to bring this information to your doctor. Being overweight or obese, especially if you're carrying that extra weight around your midsection, increases your risk for a variety of chronic and dangerous health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.  If many of the weight measurements are saying you're underweight or too thin, consider talking to your doctor about possible weight gain and if you'd benefit from weighing a little more. Regardless of what your weight measurements indicate, always talk to your doctor before diagnosing yourself with a certain condition or making any large changes to your weight. If you've talked to your doctor and have concluded that your weight should change based on the information you've gathered, consider changing your diet and lifestyle to push your weight in the right direction.  If your BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio all indicate you're overweight and your doctor agrees, consider losing weight. You'll most likely need to follow a lower calorie diet and increase your exercise to help you get down to a healthier weight. If your BMI, ideal body weight and waist-to-height ratio indicate that you're a normal or healthy weight, make sure you try to keep your weight stable to help prevent any future issues.  Regular weigh-ins can help keep you aware of any small and unwanted weight fluctuations. If these indicators show that you're underweight and your doctor thinks you'd benefit from weight gain, consider modifying your diet to include a few extra calories to help you slowly increase your weight.
Understand the implications of a high or low waist-to-height ratio. Interpret your ratio if you are a man. Decipher your ratio if you are a woman. Calculate other weight calculations. Talk to your doctor. Consider weight loss or weight gain.