Change in waist-hip ratio with weight loss and its association with change in cardiovascular risk factors.

We investigated whether weight loss decreases the waist-hip ratio (WHR) in overweight men and women, and whether changes in WHR relates to change in cardiovascular risk factors, independent of change in weight. Weight loss correlated significantly with decreases in the circumference of the waist and hips, and decreases in WHR in men and women. At comparable levels of weight loss, men had greater decreases in the waist, and smaller decreases in the hips than women, resulting in greater decreases in WHR. Cardiovascular risk factors improved significantly with weight loss. However, after controlling for weight loss, there was no evidence that change in WHR or change in circumference measures were related to change in risk factors. These data suggest that WHR is modifiable by weight loss, especially in men, but that change in WHR may not be independently related to changes in cardiovascular risk factors.