Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio and compare it with the World Health Organization cut-offs for abdominal obesity (0.90 for men, 0.85 for women).
Waist divided by hips, checked against the WHO limits.
How the waist-to-hip ratio calculator works
The waist-to-hip ratio compares the circumference of your waist (narrowest point, or midway between rib and hip) with your hips (widest point over the buttocks). The World Health Organization's 2008 expert consultation set 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women as the thresholds for "substantially increased" risk of metabolic complications.
The ratio describes shape — apple versus pear — rather than size, so it is best read together with the waist measurement itself or the waist-to-height ratio. Measure both with the tape horizontal, relaxed, and without pulling in.
Formula: WHR = waist ÷ hip
Worked examples
| Inputs | Waist-to-hip ratio | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Man, waist 85, hips 98 | 0.87 | 0.87 — under 0.90 |
| Woman, waist 80, hips 100 | 0.8 | 0.80 — under 0.85 |
| Man, waist 102, hips 104 | 0.98 | at 0.98, above the cut-off |
FAQFrequently asked questions
What are the WHO cut-offs?
The 2008 WHO expert consultation set a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.90 or more in men and 0.85 or more in women as substantially increased risk of metabolic complications.
Does the unit matter?
No — as long as waist and hip are measured in the same unit the ratio is identical in centimetres or inches.
Where exactly do I measure?
Waist: midway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone, relaxed, at the end of a breath out. Hips: the widest part of the buttocks, tape horizontal.
Is WHR better than BMI?
They answer different questions. BMI is about total weight for height; WHR is about where fat is carried. Central (abdominal) fat is the kind most linked to cardiovascular risk, which is why WHR and waist-to-height ratio are used alongside BMI.
Where these figures come from
- Mifflin MD et al., "A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals", Am J Clin Nutr 1990 — the BMR equation used here
- World Health Organization — Waist circumference and waist–hip ratio (2008 expert consultation) — waist-to-hip cut-offs
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR, "Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited", J Am Coll Cardiol 2001 — 208 − 0.7 × age
- Nathan DM et al., "Translating the A1C assay into estimated average glucose values" (ADAG), Diabetes Care 2008 — eAG = 28.7 × A1c − 46.7
- Mosteller RD, "Simplified calculation of body-surface area", N Engl J Med 1987 — BSA = √(height × weight / 3600)
- Australian Department of Health and Aged Care — national health guidance
Last checked: September 2026. The equations are fixed by their published papers and do not change with tax years or regulations; the thresholds quoted in verdicts name the body that set them.