Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator

Divide your waist by your hips to gauge abdominal-fat health risk. Enter two measurements and see your category instantly.

Calculate Your Ratio

Sex

Waist Circumference

Hip Circumference

Waist-to-Hip Ratio

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Health-risk level—

Body-shape pattern—

Low-risk cutoff—

Waist for low-risk—

Your Ratio vs Risk Thresholds

What Your Waist-to-Hip Ratio Means

Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) divides your waist circumference by your hip circumference. It's a quick proxy for how much fat you carry around your middle versus your hips and thighs — and central (abdominal) fat is more strongly linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes than fat stored lower down. Because it's a ratio, the units cancel out, so inches or centimetres give the same number.

How to Measure Correctly

Measure your waist at the narrowest point between your ribs and hips (roughly at the belly button), and your hips at the widest point around your buttocks. Keep the tape snug but not compressing the skin, stand relaxed, and measure at the end of a normal breath out. Taking each measurement twice and averaging reduces error.

The Risk Thresholds

The World Health Organization considers abdominal obesity to begin at a WHR above 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women. Below those cutoffs is generally lower risk; the higher above them you go, the greater the association with metabolic and cardiovascular problems. These thresholds are population averages, not diagnoses.

Tip: WHR is one signal, not the whole picture. Pair it with your waist-to-height ratio and body fat percentage for a fuller read on where you stand.

WHR vs BMI

BMI treats all weight the same regardless of where it sits. Two people with an identical BMI can have very different health risks depending on fat distribution — which is exactly what WHR captures. That's why many clinicians look at waist-based measures alongside BMI rather than relying on BMI alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good waist-to-hip ratio?

For men, a WHR at or below 0.90 is considered low risk; for women, at or below 0.85. Lower ratios generally indicate less abdominal fat and lower cardiovascular risk.

How do I measure my waist and hips?

Measure your waist at the narrowest point between your ribs and hip bones, and your hips at the widest part of your buttocks. Keep the tape level and snug, and measure after breathing out normally.

Does it matter if I use inches or centimetres?

No. Waist-to-hip ratio is waist divided by hips, so as long as both measurements use the same unit, the ratio comes out identical in inches or centimetres.

Is waist-to-hip ratio better than BMI?

For estimating fat-distribution risk, WHR adds information BMI misses, because it reflects where you store fat. Most experts use it alongside BMI and waist circumference rather than instead of them.

What does an 'apple' vs 'pear' shape mean?

An apple shape stores more fat around the abdomen (higher WHR) and carries greater metabolic risk. A pear shape stores more around the hips and thighs (lower WHR) and is associated with lower risk.