A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) challenges the conventional use of Body Mass Index (BMI) as the primary measure of health and weight assessment. Instead, the study suggests that Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) may offer a more accurate predictor of severe health outcomes, including cancer, heart disease, and mortality.
For years, BMI has been the prevailing metric used to gauge body weight and overall health. However, it has faced growing criticism in recent times for its potential to provide misleading information and even contribute to harmful health perceptions.
The study, led by Dr. Guillaume Paré, a professor of medicine at McMaster University, aimed to investigate the most effective means of evaluating risk factors for chronic diseases. Researchers set out to determine which of three metrics—WHR, BMI, or another measure called fat mass index (FMI)—displayed the most robust and consistent associations with mortality.
To conduct their analysis, researchers delved into data from nearly 400,000 individuals, with an average age of 60, sourced from the UK Biobank—a medical research database encompassing health information from half a million individuals in the United Kingdom. Employing a method known as Mendelian randomization, the study considered genetic variants associated with obesity during its evaluation.
The key criteria for the ideal marker of adiposity, or stored body fat, included a strong, causal, and consistent connection with health outcomes. The results indicated that WHR exhibited the most potent and sustained association with all-cause mortality and mortality related to specific causes, with this association being particularly robust in men.
Moreover, the study revealed a “potentially causal” link between WHR and mortality, suggesting that WHR could be a critical predictor of health outcomes.
Dr. Paré elaborated on the findings, stating, “What we found is that WHR comes out first on all three criteria.” In essence, the study concluded that WHR surpasses BMI as an indicator of health outcomes.
However, it is essential to acknowledge a limitation pointed out by Ryan Glatt, a senior brain health coach and director of the FitBrain Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute. He highlighted that the study’s sample exclusively consisted of Caucasian European participants, making it unrepresentative of the broader population.
This study’s findings underscore the ongoing debate surrounding health metrics and their appropriateness, suggesting that WHR may warrant more consideration as a reliable health indicator.
