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Q: I've heard of waist to hip ratio. What is that?
A: The waist to hip ratio offers a fast and reliable assessment of body fat distribution and can be calculated by dividing the waist measurement by the hip measurement to determine the ratio. Ideally, a woman's value should be < .8 and a man's should be < .9. The waist to hip ratio tells you weather you are pear shaped (carrying more weight around your hips) or apple shaped (carrying more weight around your abdomen). If you are apple shaped, you are more at risk for developing heart disease, stroke and diabetes.