Taljehofteforholdet

Taljehofteforholdet, commonly known in English as the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), is a measure of how a person’s body fat is distributed between the waist and the hips. It is calculated by dividing the circumference of the waist by the circumference of the hips. Measurements are typically taken with a flexible tape: the waist circumference is measured at the natural or smallest waist, and the hip circumference at the widest part of the buttocks, with the tape held parallel to the floor and not compressing the skin.

In interpretation, a higher WHR indicates more fat around the abdomen relative to the hips, which is associated with a higher risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Commonly used cutoffs for elevated health risk are WHR > 0.90 for men and WHR > 0.85 for women, though exact thresholds can vary by population and guideline. WHR is used in epidemiological studies and clinical risk assessment as an indicator of central (visceral) obesity and provides information beyond body mass index (BMI) alone.

Limitations include that WHR does not measure body fat percentage directly, its thresholds vary across ethnic groups, ages, and sexes, and measurement error can affect values. It is often used alongside other measures such as BMI, waist circumference alone, or waist-to-height ratio to assess health risk.

See also: body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio. The concept has a long history in anthropometrics and health research, with standardized measurement practices helping to improve comparability across studies.