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yesterday

Waist-to-Height Ratio Identified as Superior Predictor of Heart Failure Risk

New findings from a Swedish study presented at Heart Failure 2025 show that central adiposity, measured by waist-to-height ratio, significantly outperforms BMI in predicting heart failure incidence.

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Where the fat is distributed in the body has a larger impact on heart health than overall body weight.
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Waist and height measurements predict heart failure risk better than BMI: Study

Overview

  • The study, conducted by Lund University and Malmö University Hospital, followed 1,792 participants aged 45–73 over a median of 12.6 years, recording 132 heart failure events.
  • A one standard deviation increase in waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) was associated with a 34% higher risk of heart failure, independent of confounders such as age, sex, and diabetes status.
  • Individuals in the highest WtHR quartile faced nearly three times the risk of heart failure compared to those in lower quartiles, with a median WtHR of 0.65 exceeding the 0.5 cardiometabolic risk threshold.
  • Researchers emphasized WtHR’s superiority over BMI, highlighting its ability to directly measure central adiposity, a key driver of systemic inflammation and heart failure pathogenesis.
  • Future research aims to validate WtHR’s predictive value for other cardiometabolic disorders in larger, more diverse cohorts, potentially paving the way for its integration into routine clinical assessments.