Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
Your waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) compares your waist to your hips and shows how body fat is distributed. Enter your measurements to see your ratio, the World Health Organization risk band for your sex, your apple-or-pear body shape, your waist-to-height ratio, and whether your waist alone crosses the high-risk threshold.
Formula
Worked example
A waist of 85 cm and hips of 100 cm give 85 / 100 = 0.85, which is borderline for men and the upper edge of moderate for women. With a height of 175 cm, the waist-to-height ratio is 85 / 175 = 0.49, just under the 0.50 guideline.
What waist-to-hip ratio tells you
Waist-to-hip ratio divides your waist measurement by your hip measurement. It is a quick proxy for where your body stores fat. A higher ratio means relatively more fat around the abdomen, the apple shape, which research links to greater cardiometabolic risk than fat carried around the hips and thighs, the pear shape. Because both measurements are in the same units, they cancel and the ratio is unitless, so it reads the same whether you measure in centimetres or inches.
Body shape, waist-to-height, and absolute waist size
This calculator goes beyond a single number. It labels your fat-distribution pattern as apple, pear, or balanced using the WHO bands for your sex. If you add your height it also reports your waist-to-height ratio, a measure many researchers favour because keeping your waist under half your height (below 0.50) flags central fat regardless of overall build. Finally it checks your waist on its own against the NIH high-risk thresholds of 102 cm (40 in) for men and 88 cm (35 in) for women, since a large waist raises risk even when your BMI looks normal.
How to measure accurately
Stand relaxed and breathe normally. Measure your waist at its narrowest point, usually just above the navel, and your hips at their widest point around the buttocks. Keep the tape horizontal and snug without digging into the skin. Small differences in tape placement can shift the ratio, so measure consistently if you want to track changes over time.
WHR alongside other measures
No single number captures health. WHR complements BMI and waist-to-height ratio: BMI reflects overall weight relative to height but ignores fat distribution, while WHR, waist-to-height and absolute waist size focus on central fat. Used together they give a more rounded view than any one alone, and none replaces a clinical assessment.
WHO waist-to-hip ratio risk
| Risk | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 0.95 or below | 0.80 or below |
| Moderate | 0.96 to 1.00 | 0.81 to 0.85 |
| High | Above 1.00 | Above 0.85 |
World Health Organization cut-offs for health risk by sex. Units cancel out, so the ratio is the same in cm or inches.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?
The World Health Organization considers a ratio of 0.90 or below low-risk for men and 0.85 or below low-risk for women. Above those thresholds, risk rises into the moderate and high categories shown in the chart. This tool uses the more detailed 0.95 and 1.00 bands for men and 0.80 and 0.85 bands for women.
What is an apple shape versus a pear shape?
An apple shape stores more fat around the waist, giving a higher waist-to-hip ratio, while a pear shape stores more around the hips and thighs, giving a lower ratio. Apple-shaped fat distribution carries more cardiometabolic risk, which is why a higher WHR matters even at the same weight.
Why does the calculator also show waist-to-height ratio?
Waist-to-height ratio is a simple, well-validated marker of central fat. A common guideline is to keep your waist under half your height, so a ratio below 0.50 is generally favourable. It complements WHR by accounting for your overall frame, not just your hips.
Does it matter if I measure in inches or centimetres?
For the ratios, no. Because each ratio divides one length by another, the units cancel out. As long as you use the same unit for both numbers you get the same ratio. The absolute waist-size flag is the one place units matter, and the calculator converts for you.
Is WHR better than BMI?
Neither is better, they measure different things. WHR reflects fat distribution, which BMI ignores, while BMI reflects overall weight. Many clinicians look at both, plus waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio, for a fuller picture.