It all started with the Madrid fashion week organisers banning models who had a Body Mass Index (BMI) less than 18. The debate soon turned on the age-old indicator of when to go easy on the French fries—the much-feared BMI (body mass index), whether it was the real and only indicator in fact.

However, doctors now contend that BMI (measured in kilograms per meter square), commonly used to measure body fat, is definitely not the best way to know if one is at an increased health risk from being overweight or underweight. BMI is based on one’s weight and height and does not distinguish between muscle mass and body fat. It is therefore difficult to ascertain if a person is fat or merely muscular.

A bodybuilder, all muscle with low percentage of body fat, for instance, may have the same BMI as a person who is obese. So, maybe, just maybe, you are muscular, not fat but wait till you hear of the new indicator.

Doctors believe a person’s waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is a better way to evaluate his or her health status. WHR looks at the proportion of fat stored on your body around your waist and hip.

Fat is stored in the body in two distinct ways: Around the middle (the apple shape) and around the hip (the pear shape). Apparently, your health is affected not only by how fat you are but also where that fat is stored.

Another finding shows that the WHR is the best obesity measure for assessing heart attack and other obesity-related risks. Dr Anand Pandey, senior consultant, Cardiology, Fortis Noida, says: “The relationship between the size of the belly and the hip is a more useful measure of health risk than the commonly-used body mass index. A calculation comparing waist circumference to hip circumference is a better predictor of heart attack risks too.” Besides, the waist-to-hip ratio is also a better indicator of diabetes.

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