Story perspectives

Waist-to-hip ratio predicts death risk better than BMI

8/15/2026

Summary

Story summary

Researchers in the United States found that waist-to-hip ratio predicts mortality better than body-mass index.
The study tracked 259,351 participants with waist measurements for roughly 20 years.
Among normal-weight adults, 5% had a high waist circumference and 18% a high waist-to-hip ratio.
Authors said waist size and waist-to-hip ratio distinguished higher-risk from lower-risk individuals within the same BMI groups, though the observational design cannot prove causation.

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Story summary

Researchers in the United States found that waist-to-hip ratio predicts mortality better than body-mass index.
The study tracked 259,351 participants with waist measurements for roughly 20 years.
Among normal-weight adults, 5% had a high waist circumference and 18% a high waist-to-hip ratio.
Authors said waist size and waist-to-hip ratio distinguished higher-risk from lower-risk individuals within the same BMI groups, though the observational design cannot prove causation.