Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
Divide your waist by your hip measurement to get your waist-to-hip ratio and its WHO health-risk band.
Men: ≤ 0.90 low · 0.91–0.99 moderate · ≥ 1.00 high. The ratio is unit-free, so cm and inches give the same number.
Your waist-to-hip ratio is your waist circumference divided by your hip circumference. A woman with an 80 cm waist and 100 cm hips has a WHR of 80 ÷ 100 = 0.80, which sits in the low-risk band under the World Health Organization cut-offs for women (≤ 0.85).
What the waist-to-hip ratio tells you
The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) compares the size of your waist to the size of your hips. A higher ratio means more weight is carried around the abdomen — so-called apple-shaped or central fat — which research links to greater cardiometabolic risk than fat stored around the hips and thighs (pear-shaped). Because it is a ratio of two circumferences, it captures fat distribution rather than total body size, which is something weight or BMI alone cannot see.
WHR is unit-independent: both measurements share the same unit, so it cancels out. A waist of 80 and hips of 100 give 0.80 whether you measured in centimetres or inches. You only need a flexible tape measure.
Both circumferences use the same unit, so the units cancel and the ratio is dimensionless.
Worked example: woman, 80 cm waist, 100 cm hips
Divide the waist figure by the hip figure and compare against the WHO band for your sex:
- 1 Measure your waist. Stand relaxed and breathe out. Wrap the tape around the narrowest part of your torso, roughly midway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone. Keep it level and snug. Example: 80 cm.
- 2 Measure your hips. Wrap the tape around the widest part of your buttocks, keeping it parallel to the floor. Example: 100 cm.
- 3 Use the same unit for both. Centimetres or inches both work, as long as waist and hip use the same one — the unit cancels in the ratio.
- 4 Divide waist by hip. 80 ÷ 100 = 0.80.
- 5 Read your risk band. For women, 0.80 is at the top of the low-risk band (≤ 0.85); for men the low-risk cut-off is ≤ 0.90.
WHO waist-to-hip ratio risk bands
Cut-offs from the WHO expert consultation on waist circumference and waist–hip ratio (Geneva, 2008). Higher ratios indicate greater central-fat distribution.
| Health risk | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 0.90 and below | 0.80 and below |
| Moderate | 0.91 – 0.99 | 0.81 – 0.84 |
| High | 1.00 and above | 0.85 and above |
How to read your ratio
Which band you land in matters more than the exact second decimal. Men carry more low-risk margin because they naturally store proportionally less fat around the hips, so the same ratio means different things for each sex. Tape placement, posture, and whether you have just eaten can nudge the number, so measure the same way each time and watch the trend rather than one reading.
WHR is a screening indicator, not a diagnosis. This tool is for general information, not medical advice — a ratio in the high-risk band flags a pattern worth discussing with a qualified professional, not a verdict about your health.