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Waist measurement. Healthcare worker using a tape to measure the circumference of an elderly woman's waist. The patient's waist- to-hip ratio is greater than 0.8. The waist-to-hip ratio is an indication of whether a person has excess fat around their internal organs (visceral fat). A ratio of more than 0.8 in women, and 1.0 in men, means that they have an increased risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or a stroke. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/JIM VARNEY)