In terms of body composition, what does a higher waist circumference indicate?

A higher waist circumference is indicative of greater fat distribution around the abdomen. This measurement specifically reflects abdominal or central obesity, which is associated with an increased risk of various health issues, including metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

The waist circumference is a useful metric because it helps to identify excessive visceral fat, which is the fat located around internal organs. Having a larger waist circumference suggests that there is more fat stored in the abdominal area as opposed to other areas of the body. This central fat contributes more significantly to health risks compared to fat stored in other areas, such as the hips or thighs.

In contrast, higher muscle mass would not necessarily reflect an increase in waist circumference; muscular individuals can maintain a healthy waist size due to their body composition. Lower cardiovascular risk is generally associated with a healthy waist circumference, not a higher one. Lastly, an increased waist circumference does not indicate lower body weight; in fact, it often corresponds to higher body weight if the increase in waist size is due to fat accumulation.