Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
Sex
in
in
Waist-to-Hip Ratio0.80
Health RiskModerate
WHR compares fat stored around the waist to the hips. A higher ratio is linked to greater cardiovascular and metabolic risk. This is a screening estimate, not a diagnosis.
The Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator divides your waist measurement by your hip measurement to gauge how fat is distributed around your body. A higher ratio means more fat is carried around the abdomen, a pattern research links to greater heart and metabolic risk. The tool then places your ratio in a low, moderate, or high band using the World Health Organization thresholds for your sex.
Formula
WHR = waist ÷ hip
- waist
- Waist circumference at the narrowest point
- hip
- Hip circumference at the widest point
How it works
- Select your sex, then enter your waist circumference measured at the narrowest point and your hip circumference at the widest point.
- The calculator divides waist by hip to produce a single ratio, rounded to two decimals.
- It compares that ratio against sex-specific cut-offs: for men 0.90 and 1.00, for women 0.80 and 0.85, marking the moderate and high-risk boundaries.
Worked example
A woman with a 32-inch waist and 40-inch hips.
- WHR = 32 ÷ 40 = 0.80.
- For women the moderate band starts at 0.80 and high risk at 0.85.
- A ratio of exactly 0.80 sits at the bottom of the moderate band.
WHR of 0.80, classified as moderate risk for a woman.
Frequently asked questions
- Where exactly should I measure?
- Measure the waist at its narrowest point, usually just above the navel, and the hips at the widest part of the buttocks. Keep the tape level and snug without compressing the skin for a reliable ratio.
- Why does the risk threshold differ by sex?
- Men and women naturally store fat in different proportions, so the same ratio carries different meaning. Women carry more fat around the hips, which is why their high-risk threshold of 0.85 is lower than the male threshold of 1.00.
- Is waist-to-hip ratio better than BMI?
- They measure different things. BMI reflects overall weight relative to height, while WHR focuses on fat distribution. Using both gives a fuller picture, since abdominal fat carries risk even at a normal BMI.