Question asked by Denise Lee 2508 days ago

What is the ideal waist to chest ratio for men?

Assessments Weight Loss Weight Management

In the "How to Help Clients Beat Belly Fat" (March 2014, IDEA Fitness Journal) article, Dr. Teta states that for men "the waist to chest ratio may be a better indicator and the optimal is .77 (Price et al. 2013).

I read the Price article -Body Shape Preferences: Associations with Rater Body Shape and Sociosexuality (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.00525...) and I did not find the .77 reference. Furthermore, the purpose of the Price study was to "investigate[d] whether body attractiveness preferences are associated with a rater’s own attractiveness and sociosexuality." This is a sociological study and has nothing to do with belly fat. However, the Price study does reference another study that mentions the .77 ratio - Fluctuating asymmetry and preferences for sex-typical bodily characteristics (Brown, et. al, 2007). Below is an excerpt from the Brown study:

We labeled this PC “body masculinity” because of variable loadings: wider shoulder breadth (0.86), larger torso volume (0.77), higher WHR (0.83), smaller breast size (−0.66), greater height (0.77), and shorter, less slender legs (−0.73). Lower scores on this component reflect more feminine secondary sexual characteristics; higher scores reflect more masculine secondary sexual characteristics.

As a fitness professional I want to make sure that I am not giving clients garbage advice, and I need to apologize to one of my clients because I told him something because I blindly read something in the Teta article and took it as gospel. Anyway, sorry for the brief rant.

I want to make sure that I am telling my male client(s):
1. Whether it is best to conduct a waist to chest ratio rather than a waist to hip ratio.
2. What is the idea waist to chest ratio for men?

Has anyone done research on this issue? If so, what information do you have about this ratio?

I have read things online and no one is consistent on the waist to chest ratio. Below are some of the places I read about the waist to chest ratio:
http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/muscle-building-strategy-v-shaped-tors...
https://sites.google.com/site/calculateyourbmi/all-calculators/wcr

Thanks in advance for your help

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Answers (2)

Answered by Sue D'Alonzo 2507 days ago

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I'm not a concerned with the chest measurement as much as the waist measurement as this in an indicator of metabolic disorder.

Also, many men have huge chests because they tend to work their upper bodies much more than anything else.

There are many other studies around this area to look into

Keep in mind that waist circumference is only one way to measure. It's a good baseline to have but it's not the only way to go

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