๐ Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
Enter your waist and hip circumference measurements to calculate your Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR), a commonly used indicator of abdominal obesity, and see a risk category based on sex-specific thresholds. It's a useful complement to BMI, which doesn't capture how body fat is distributed.
How to use
- Select your sex.
- Enter your waist circumference (cm), measured at the level of your navel.
- Enter your hip circumference (cm), measured at the widest part of your hips โ the ratio and risk category are calculated automatically.
How the calculation works
The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is your waist circumference divided by your hip circumference, and shows whether you tend to carry fat around your middle ("apple" shape) or around your hips ("pear" shape). Waist-to-hip ratio = waist รท hips Fat around the abdomen, especially visceral fat, is closely linked to diabetes, heart disease and other metabolic conditions. The World Health Organization treats 0.90 or more for men and 0.85 or more for women as a substantially increased risk. This tool rates men below 0.90 as low, 0.90 to under 1.0 as moderate and 1.0 or more as high, and women below 0.80 as low, 0.80 to under 0.85 as moderate and 0.85 or more as high.
Worked example
Man, waist 85 cm, hips 95 cm 85 รท 95 โ 0.89 โ low risk (under 0.90) Woman, waist 80 cm, hips 92 cm 80 รท 92 โ 0.87 โhigh risk (0.85 or more) For the same waist, larger hips give a smaller ratio.
Things to be aware of
- The WHO protocol measures the waist midway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone, and the hips at the widest part of the buttocks, after breathing out gently.
- Japan's metabolic syndrome screening uses waist circumference at the navel (85 cm or more for men, 90 cm or more for women) rather than the waist-to-hip ratio.
- This is a guide to body shape, not a diagnosis.
FAQ
What is the waist-to-hip ratio?
It's your waist circumference divided by your hip circumference. A higher ratio indicates a tendency toward abdominal ("apple-shaped") fat storage, which is used as one indicator of risk for lifestyle-related diseases.
Why do the risk thresholds differ by sex?
Fat distribution patterns differ physiologically between men and women, so organizations like the WHO define separate thresholds for each sex.
Should I prioritize WHR or BMI?
BMI reflects overall body size based on height and weight, while WHR reflects fat distribution (a tendency toward visceral fat accumulation). Checking both together gives a more complete picture of health risk.