What does waist to hip ratio assess?

Frame size is assessed using bony landmark measurements such as wrist circumference or elbow breadth, not the relationship between waist and hip measurements.

Weight relative to height is measured by Body Mass Index (BMI), calculated by dividing body mass in kilograms by height in meters squared.

WHR is calculated by dividing waist circumference by hip circumference to identify whether fat is distributed centrally (android/apple pattern) or peripherally (gynoid/pear pattern). This ratio reflects fat distribution, not total fat quantity or body weight, and is used to assess metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk associated with central adiposity. A higher ratio indicates greater abdominal fat accumulation, which carries elevated health risk.

Subcutaneous fat at specific anatomical sites is quantified using skinfold calipers, not waist to hip ratio, which does not distinguish subcutaneous from visceral fat.