Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator

Where you carry fat, and what the WHO says about it.

Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio and see your WHO health risk category. Fat distribution predicts metabolic risk better than total weight does.

Written and maintained by Mohit PatelLast checked August 4, 2026How we build these

Units

Sex

Waist

At the narrowest point, breathing out normally.

Hips

At the widest point across the buttocks.

Waist-to-hip ratio

0.86

Moderate risk

Waist86.0 cm

Hips100.0 cm

WHO threshold0.90

The WHO threshold for abdominal obesity is 0.90 for men. Risk rises continuously rather than switching at the line.

How the Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator works

Two people can weigh the same and carry it very differently. Fat around the abdomen sits alongside the organs and is metabolically active in a way that fat on the hips and thighs is not, which is why waist-to-hip ratio predicts cardiovascular and diabetes risk better than weight or BMI alone.

Also known as: WHR calculator · waist hip ratio health risk · apple or pear body shape

Measuring fat distribution rather than amount

Waist-to-hip ratio divides waist circumference by hip circumference. It says nothing about how much fat someone carries and a great deal about where they carry it.

That distinction matters because visceral fat, stored around the abdominal organs, is metabolically active and associated with considerably higher cardiovascular and metabolic risk than subcutaneous fat stored around the hips and thighs.

Two people with identical BMI and identical body fat percentage can have quite different risk profiles depending on distribution, and the ratio is a cheap proxy for that difference.

Measuring it consistently

The World Health Organization protocol measures the waist at the midpoint between the lowest rib and the top of the iliac crest, and the hips at the widest point of the buttocks.

Measure at the end of a normal breath out, standing relaxed, with the tape snug but not compressing the skin. Both measurements should be taken twice and averaged.

Technique matters more than most people expect. Measuring at the navel instead of the anatomical waist, or pulling the tape tight, can change the ratio enough to move someone between risk categories. Consistency with yourself matters more than agreement with anyone else if the purpose is tracking.

The thresholds

The WHO defines abdominal obesity as a waist-to-hip ratio at or above 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women, and identifies substantially increased risk of metabolic complications at those levels.

Those thresholds derive largely from European populations, and there is reasonable evidence that risk begins at lower ratios in South Asian and some East Asian populations. Several national guidelines apply lower cut-offs accordingly.

As with any threshold applied to a continuous measure, the boundary is a convention rather than a cliff. A ratio of 0.89 is not meaningfully safer than 0.91, and the direction of travel over time carries more information than which side of a line a single reading falls on.

How it compares with the alternatives

Waist circumference alone predicts cardiometabolic risk about as well as the ratio in most studies, and it is simpler to measure since it needs one measurement rather than two.

Waist-to-height ratio performs at least as well as either and has an unusually memorable threshold: keep your waist under half your height. That simplicity is a genuine advantage for a screening measure.

All three outperform BMI for predicting cardiometabolic risk specifically, because BMI is blind to distribution. None of them replaces a proper assessment including blood pressure, lipids and glucose, which is what actually determines clinical risk.

What the number does not capture

Hip circumference is influenced by bone structure and by gluteal muscle as well as by fat, so a muscular person can have a lower ratio for reasons unrelated to fat distribution.

Pregnancy makes the measurement meaningless, and it should not be used during pregnancy or for several months afterwards.

The ratio is also insensitive to overall weight change if the waist and hips change proportionally. Someone losing weight evenly can see their ratio stay flat while their absolute risk falls substantially, which is a reason to track waist circumference alongside it rather than the ratio alone.

Where to go next

The Waist-to-Hip Ratio question rarely arrives on its own. These are the ones that usually come with it:

Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator — Keep your waist under half your height.
Body Fat Calculator — Body fat percentage from tape measurements.
BMI Calculator — Body mass index with category and healthy weight range.
Calorie & BMR Calculator — Daily calorie needs for losing, holding, or gaining weight.

Sources

WHO, Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio report

Not medical advice. This calculator gives a general estimate, not medical advice. It cannot account for your individual health, medical history, or medication. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional before acting on any result.

Frequently asked questions

How do I measure waist-to-hip ratio correctly?

Measure your waist at its narrowest point, usually just above the navel, and your hips at their widest point across the buttocks. Stand relaxed, breathe out normally, and keep the tape level and snug without compressing. Divide waist by hip.

What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?

The WHO defines abdominal obesity as 0.90 or above for men and 0.85 or above for women. Below roughly 0.85 for men and 0.80 for women is considered low risk. Risk rises continuously rather than switching at the threshold.

Is waist-to-hip ratio better than BMI?

For predicting metabolic and cardiovascular risk, generally yes, several large cohort studies have found waist measures outperform BMI. BMI remains useful as a population screening number because height and weight are easy to collect accurately, while tape measurements vary between people taking them.

Can I change where my body stores fat?

Not by targeting it. Fat distribution is largely set by genetics, sex and hormones, and spot reduction does not work. What does change is the total: losing weight tends to reduce visceral abdominal fat first, which is why waist measurements often improve faster than the scale suggests.