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Real Life Nutrition Questions Answered

Real Life Fitness Questions Answered

Emma Brown
Nutritionist

Janet Aylott
Nutritionist

Kelly Marshall
Fitness Consultant

Q.

What are the ideal waist, hip etc measurements for women?

There is so much available about how much we should weigh and a healthy BMI but I can't find information on measurements. Please help, I'd be very grateful. Shelley

A.

Our expert says...

Hi Shelley,

I’m afraid there isn’t a straight answer to your question.  Our body measurements depend on many things, such as what we genetically inherit and how sporty we are, and I would have to say that what is thought of as ‘ideal’ for one person may not be for another.  For me, the ideal would be being within a healthy BMI range and accepting and liking the way that I looked!

However, there are some measurements that are not ideal, as they are known to contribute to longer term health issues.  The waist to hip ratio is a good indicator for this and is determined by dividing your waist circumference by your hip circumference. I wouldn’t recommend women taking these measurements before their period when they may have some water retention and be bloated – I would wait until after your period.  A healthy ratio for women is generally accepted to be less than 0.75 and for men it is less than 1.0.

Similarly, an ‘apple shape’, where most of your fat is stored around your middle, can be considered a risk factor for developing diabetes (along with other factors, I would like to point out). For women this occurs when your waist is over 31.5 inches, for Asian men 35 inches plus and for white and black men 37 inches or over.

I’m sorry there isn’t a straightforward answer to your question, but I hope this information has helped!

 

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