📏 Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
By ToolNimba Health Team · Reviewed by ToolNimba Editorial Review, health content review · Updated 2026-06-19
This calculator is for general information and is not a diagnosis or medical advice. Waist-to-hip ratio is one rough indicator of fat distribution, it does not account for muscle, frame size, pregnancy or individual health history. Measurement technique strongly affects the result. Talk to a doctor or qualified health professional before acting on any figure here, and do not use it to self-diagnose.
Use the same unit (cm or in) for both. The ratio cancels the unit out.
Your waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) compares the size of your waist to the size of your hips. It is a quick, tape-measure-only way to gauge where your body stores fat, and carrying more around the middle (an "apple" shape) is linked to higher health risk than carrying it around the hips (a "pear" shape). Enter your waist measurement, your hip measurement and your sex, and this tool returns your ratio plus the World Health Organization risk band for that number.
What is the Waist to Hip Ratio Calculator?
Waist-to-hip ratio is simply your waist circumference divided by your hip circumference, measured in the same unit. Because both numbers share the unit, it cancels out, so a waist of 85 cm over hips of 100 cm gives the same 0.85 ratio as 33.5 in over 39.4 in. The figure does not depend on your height or overall weight, which is exactly the point: it captures the shape of your body, specifically how much fat sits around your abdomen relative to your hips and buttocks.
The reason shape matters is that abdominal (visceral) fat behaves differently from fat stored on the hips and thighs. Fat packed around the organs in the belly is more metabolically active and is associated with higher rates of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Two people can share an identical BMI yet have very different WHRs, and research has found that for predicting some risks, where you carry fat can matter as much as how much you carry. That is why WHR is used alongside BMI rather than instead of it.
The World Health Organization publishes cut-off points that differ by sex, because men and women naturally store fat in different patterns. For men, a ratio below 0.90 is treated as low risk, 0.90 to just under 1.00 as moderate, and 1.00 or above as high. For women the thresholds are lower: below 0.80 is low, 0.80 to just under 0.85 is moderate, and 0.85 or above is high. These bands are population guidelines, not personal diagnoses, and they work best when your measurements are taken carefully and consistently.
When to use it
- Checking your fat-distribution risk with nothing more than a tape measure, no scale or formula needed.
- Adding context to a BMI result, since two people with the same BMI can carry fat very differently.
- Tracking changes in body shape over weeks or months as you change diet or activity, even when weight barely moves.
- Giving a doctor or trainer a simple shape measure to discuss alongside other health markers.
How to use the Waist to Hip Ratio Calculator
- Select your sex, the WHO risk thresholds differ for men and women.
- Measure your waist at the narrowest point (usually just above the belly button) and enter it.
- Measure your hips at the widest point around the buttocks and enter it in the same unit.
- Read off your waist-to-hip ratio and the risk band it falls into.
Formula & method
Worked examples
A man measures a 95 cm waist and 100 cm hips.
- WHR = waist ÷ hip = 95 ÷ 100
- WHR = 0.95
- For men the bands are: under 0.90 low, 0.90 to 0.99 moderate, 1.00+ high
- 0.95 falls in the 0.90 to 0.99 range
Result: WHR = 0.95, moderate risk
A woman measures a 72 cm waist and 96 cm hips.
- WHR = waist ÷ hip = 72 ÷ 96
- WHR = 0.75
- For women the bands are: under 0.80 low, 0.80 to 0.84 moderate, 0.85+ high
- 0.75 is below 0.80
Result: WHR = 0.75, low risk
A woman measures a 34 in waist and 40 in hips (imperial).
- WHR = waist ÷ hip = 34 ÷ 40
- WHR = 0.85
- The unit cancels, so inches give the same ratio as centimetres
- 0.85 meets the 0.85+ threshold for women
Result: WHR = 0.85, high risk
World Health Organization waist-to-hip ratio risk bands by sex
| Health risk | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Low | Below 0.90 | Below 0.80 |
| Moderate | 0.90 to 0.99 | 0.80 to 0.84 |
| High | 1.00 or above | 0.85 or above |
Example ratios for a fixed 100 unit hip measurement
| Waist | Hip | WHR | Risk (man) | Risk (woman) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | 100 | 0.75 | Low | Low |
| 82 | 100 | 0.82 | Low | Moderate |
| 88 | 100 | 0.88 | Low | High |
| 95 | 100 | 0.95 | Moderate | High |
| 102 | 100 | 1.02 | High | High |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Measuring the waist in the wrong place. The waist should be measured at its narrowest point, roughly level with the belly button, not at the trouser waistband which often sits lower. Measuring too low can shrink your ratio and hide real risk.
- Pulling the tape too tight or too loose. A tape that digs in understates the measurement, and a slack one overstates it. Keep the tape snug but not compressing the skin, and breathe out normally before you read it.
- Mixing units between waist and hip. The ratio only works when both measurements use the same unit. Entering a waist in inches and hips in centimetres gives a meaningless number, so pick one unit and stick to it.
- Treating WHR as a complete health check. WHR ignores muscle, frame size and many other factors. A very muscular person or someone who is pregnant can get a misleading reading, so it should sit alongside other measures, not replace them.
Glossary
- Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)
- Your waist circumference divided by your hip circumference, used as a simple indicator of where your body stores fat.
- Waist circumference
- The distance around your torso at its narrowest point, usually just above the belly button.
- Hip circumference
- The distance around the widest part of your hips and buttocks.
- Visceral fat
- Fat stored deep in the abdomen around the organs, more strongly linked to health risk than fat under the skin.
- Apple shape
- A body shape that stores more fat around the waist, associated with a higher waist-to-hip ratio.
- Pear shape
- A body shape that stores more fat around the hips and thighs, associated with a lower waist-to-hip ratio.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?
Using World Health Organization cut-offs, a low-risk ratio is below 0.90 for men and below 0.80 for women. Higher numbers move you into the moderate and then high risk bands. Lower generally indicates less fat carried around the abdomen.
How do I measure my waist and hips correctly?
Measure the waist at its narrowest point, usually just above the belly button, with the tape snug but not compressing the skin and after a normal breath out. Measure the hips at the widest point around the buttocks. Use the same unit for both.
Does it matter what unit I use?
No, as long as both measurements use the same unit. Because the ratio divides waist by hip, the unit cancels out, so 85 cm over 100 cm and 33.5 in over 39.4 in both give 0.85. Just never mix inches with centimetres.
Why are the thresholds different for men and women?
Men and women naturally store body fat in different patterns, so the same ratio carries a different meaning. Women tend to carry more around the hips, which is why their healthy cut-offs are set lower than those for men.
Is waist-to-hip ratio better than BMI?
Neither replaces the other. BMI estimates overall weight relative to height, while WHR captures where fat sits. Two people with the same BMI can have very different ratios, so they are best read together rather than one alone.
Can my waist-to-hip ratio be too low?
For most people a lower ratio reflects less abdominal fat and is not a concern by itself. Extremely low readings usually come from measurement error or a very narrow waist, and the ratio is just one rough signal, so discuss any health worries with a professional.
Sources
- Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio: report of a WHO expert consultation , World Health Organization (2011)
- Why is my waist size important? , British Heart Foundation