Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator (WHR)
The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) shows whether fat is stored around your abdomen or on your hips, and on its own it can be more informative about health risk than weight alone. We divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement: for example, a 90 cm waist and 100 cm hips means a ratio of 0.90.
Enter your waist and hip measurements — your ratio appears here instantly.
The ratio is a health indicator; on its own it is not a diagnostic tool.
Your inputs never leave your device; the calculation runs in your browser and nothing is sent to a server.
Waist-to-hip ratio risk ranges
| Risk | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Low risk | Below 0.90 | Below 0.80 |
| Moderate risk | 0.90 – 0.99 | 0.80 – 0.84 |
| High risk | 1.00 and above | 0.85 and above |
This is the World Health Organization (WHO) classification; a higher ratio is associated with increased metabolic risk linked to abdominal fat.
For informational purposes only; not medical advice. Consult a doctor for a risk assessment and for setting health goals.
The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is a simple but powerful indicator found by dividing your waist circumference by your hip circumference. More than how much you weigh, it tells you where fat is stored. Of two people at the same weight, the one who carries more around the middle usually has higher metabolic risk than the one who stores fat on the hips and thighs. That is why the ratio says more in health tracking than the scale alone.
Fat around the abdomen includes visceral fat that settles between the internal organs, which is why it matters for cardiovascular and metabolic health. The waist-to-hip ratio roughly reflects this distribution; as the ratio rises, so does the risk linked to abdominal fat. All you need to measure it is a tape measure.
How to Measure Correctly
Measure your waist at the level of your navel or the narrowest point of your torso, without sucking in your stomach. Measure your hips at their widest point, with your feet together. The tape should be snug enough to touch the skin but not press into it. Taking the measurement standing, breathing out normally, and repeating it a few times to take the average makes the result more reliable.
What the Ratio Means
According to the World Health Organization, values of 0.90 and above in men and 0.85 and above in women are associated with increased health risk. Values below these thresholds are considered lower risk. Because women naturally have wider hips, the healthy ratio is lower than it is for men. When the ratio crosses a threshold, it is not a diagnosis but a signal worth reflecting on.
Read It Alongside BMI
The waist-to-hip ratio is more meaningful when read together with measures like body mass index (BMI) and body-fat percentage. BMI reflects total mass, body-fat percentage reflects composition, and the waist-to-hip ratio shows fat distribution. Reading all three together offers a far more complete picture than fixating on a single number.
Frequently asked
How is the waist-to-hip ratio calculated?
Divide your waist circumference by your hip circumference. For example, a waist of 90 cm and hips of 100 cm gives a ratio of 90/100 = 0.90. As long as both measurements are in the same unit (cm), the result is a unitless ratio. It gives a sense of where fat is stored on your body.
What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?
According to the World Health Organization, risk rises when the ratio reaches 0.90 or above in men and 0.85 or above in women. Generally, values below 0.90 in men and below 0.80 in women are considered low risk. The lower the ratio, the lower the risk linked to abdominal fat.
Which matters more, waist-to-hip ratio or BMI?
They measure different things and complement each other. BMI compares total weight to height; the waist-to-hip ratio shows where fat is stored. Fat that accumulates around the abdomen (apple shape) is considered more telling of metabolic risk than fat stored on the hips and thighs (pear shape). The most complete assessment looks at both together.
What do apple shape and pear shape mean?
A body shape where fat concentrates around the abdomen is called apple shape, while one where fat concentrates on the hips and thighs is called pear shape. The apple-shaped distribution is associated with a higher waist-to-hip ratio and, generally, higher metabolic risk. That is why two people at the same weight can have different health risk depending on fat distribution.
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