Chapter 3: Weight Management 58 a result of regular exercise. For this reason, regular circumference measurement should be performed in addition to weekly weigh-ins. Weigh-ins alone cannot determine if fluctuations in weight following exercise and/or dieting are a result of fat loss, muscle gain or both. Estimated percent body fat percentages based on waist circumference are provided in Appendix B (Latour et al., 2019). Figure 3.10. Changes in Body Composition as a Result of Regular Exercise Waist circumference (WC). Waist circumference is a measurement taken around the abdomen at the level of the umbilicus and used to assess health risk. As mentioned previously, there is a strong correlation between excessive abdominal fat and a number of metabolic disorders and diseases. In fact, research has shown an increase in health risk with every one-inch increase in waist circumference (Peterson & Rittenhouse, 2019). The relative risk categories for WC are provided in Table 3.7. Table 3.7. Relative Health Risk Categories for Waist Circumference Health Risk Category Males Females Very Low < 31.5 in. < 27.5 in. Low 31.5 - 39.0 in. 27.5 - 35.0 in. High 39.5 - 47.0 in. 35.5 - 43.0 in. Very High > 47.0 in. > 43.5 in. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Waist-to-hip ratio is the ratio of the circumference of the waist to that of the hips. WHR is calculated by dividing the waist measurement (taken at the level of the umbilicus) by the hip measurement [waist (in.) / hips (in.)]. WC and WHR may be even better predictors of health risk
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