The waist hip ratio measures how your fat is distributed around the middle of the body, and it turns out to be a better predictor of health risk than weight alone. This waist hip ratio calculator works out the ratio from your measurements, places it in the risk band used by the World Health Organization, and gives you the follow-up figures that matter alongside it.
What Is the Waist Hip Ratio Calculator?
The waist hip ratio divides the circumference of your waist by the circumference of your hips. It is a rough but useful picture of central fat storage, and the World Health Organization uses it as one of the waist circumference criteria for raised cardiometabolic risk.
Two people with the same weight and BMI can have very different waist hip ratios, and the one carrying more weight around the middle carries the higher risk. That is why measuring the waist is recommended alongside the scale.
How the Ratio and Risk Bands Work
Waist hip ratio = Waist circumference ÷ Hip circumference
For men the World Health Organization bands are below 0.90 for low risk, 0.90 to 0.99 for moderate risk and 1.00 or above for high risk. For women the corresponding bands are below 0.80, 0.80 to 0.84 and 0.85 or above.
The calculator also reports the waist to height ratio, which is a more recent measure that corrects for body size. A waist to height ratio below 0.5 is generally regarded as a reasonable target, since it corresponds to a waist no larger than half your height.
How to Measure Properly
Measure the waist at the navel level at the end of a normal exhale, with the tape horizontal and snug but not compressing the skin. Measure the hips at the widest point, which is usually just below the greater trochanter at the top of the thigh bone.
For consistent readings, measure at the same time of day and in the same conditions, because waist circumference varies through the day and with meals. A change of more than one centimetre between readings usually means the technique changed, not the body.
What to Do With the Result
A ratio in the higher band is a signal to look at overall risk factors such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and smoking, and to talk to a clinician if several are elevated at once. It is not a diagnosis and it should not be treated as one.
Waist reduction tends to respond well to the same measures as general weight loss, with resistance training and aerobic activity both effective. Visceral fat in particular responds quickly to regular exercise, often before the scale moves much.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a healthy waist hip ratio?
Below 0.90 for men and below 0.80 for women according to the World Health Organization. A ratio of 1.0 or above in men, or 0.85 and above in women, falls into the high risk band.
How do I measure my waist correctly?
Stand upright with the tape at navel level at the end of a normal exhale, keep it horizontal and snug without pushing into the skin. Measure at the same time of day each time so the readings are comparable.
Is waist hip ratio better than waist circumference on its own?
Neither is universally better. Waist circumference alone is simpler and is what the WHO actually recommends for most screening, while the ratio adds the benefit of accounting for hip size. Using both gives a fuller picture.
Does age or ethnicity change the risk bands?
Yes. South Asian populations carry more visceral fat at the same waist measurement, so many guidelines set lower thresholds for them, typically 90 cm for men and 80 cm for women rather than 94 cm and 80 cm.
What is the waist to height ratio?
Your waist divided by your height. It corrects for body size in a single figure, and a value below 0.5 is generally taken as a reasonable target because it means the waist is no larger than half the height.