Women store more fat subcutaneously (under the skin) and less viscerally (around organs) than men, thanks in large part to estrogen. This is why women often have higher body fat at a lower health risk.
Estrogen promotes fat storage in hips, thighs, and glutes — a pattern that's metabolically protective and associated with lower cardiovascular risk.
This is why the same BMI often means different body-fat percentages for men and women.
Falling estrogen shifts fat storage toward the abdomen, raising visceral fat and cardiovascular risk. Waist tracking becomes more important post-menopause.
Track the marker that actually predicts risk.
WHtR Calculator →
BMI can label muscular athletes as overweight or obese. Here's when BMI misses the mark and what to use instead.
The clearest waist guideline for women, based on the NHS and Ashwell Waist-to-Height ratio — no charts, just one rule.
How age changes your healthy weight range, and the simple WHO/CDC formula that answers "how much should I weigh?".