Waist-to-hip ratio calculator

How do I calculate my waist-to-hip ratio?

Divide your waist by your hips, both in the same unit: a 34-inch waist and 40-inch hips give 0.85.

What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?

In the World Health Organization report (2008), a ratio above 0.90 in men and above 0.85 in women means a substantially increased risk of metabolic complications.

How do I measure my waist and hips?

WHO measures the waist midway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone, and the hips around the widest part of the buttocks, with the tape level and snug.

Why does fat around the waist matter?

Fat stored around the abdomen is more closely tied to heart disease and type 2 diabetes than fat on the hips and thighs.

Is waist size alone useful?

Yes — the National Institutes of Health calls a waist over 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in women unhealthy. The calculator checks yours against these limits too.

Does the ratio depend on whether I measure in inches or centimeters?

No, because it is a ratio of two lengths in the same unit. A 34 inch waist and 40 inch hips give 0.85; the same measurements in centimeters (86.4 and 101.6) give 0.85. Use the same unit, and the same tape, for both.

Can the ratio get better without losing weight?

It can change with either measurement. With a 40 inch hip, reducing the waist from 34 to 32 inches lowers the ratio from 0.85 to 0.80. Increasing the hip measurement from 40 to 44 inches at the same 34 inch waist also lowers it, to 0.77, though that is not a sign of better health in itself; the waist is the part of the measurement that carries the information.

What is calculated

The waist-to-hip ratio is the waist circumference divided by the hip circumference. A value above 1.0 means the waist is larger than the hips. The calculator compares your ratio with the cutoffs in the World Health Organization's 2008 report on waist circumference and waist-hip ratio, above which the risk of metabolic complications is substantially increased: 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women. It also compares the waist alone with the limits used by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, which call a waist of more than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women a sign of higher risk. These are population screening thresholds, not a diagnosis.

Worked example: three people

A man with a 34 inch waist and 40 inch hips has a ratio of 0.85, below the 0.90 cutoff. A woman with a 30 inch waist and 38 inch hips has 0.79, below 0.85. A man with a 38 inch waist and 40 inch hips has 0.95, above the cutoff of 0.90, even though his 38 inch waist is within the 40 inch limit. The two checks measure different things, which is why the calculator shows both. A ratio above the cutoff is a reason to discuss your health with a doctor, not a conclusion.

How to measure

The WHO protocol takes the waist halfway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone, after a normal breath out, and the hips at the widest part of the buttocks. Stand upright with your feet together and arms relaxed, hold the tape level around the body, and snug without compressing the skin. Measure over bare skin or thin clothing, and take each measurement twice, using the average. A measurement at the navel is a different, common but not WHO, convention and may differ by a few centimeters.

Limits of the ratio

The cutoffs describe average adults and may not be right for every ethnic group, for people who are very tall, very short or very muscular, for older adults, or for those who are pregnant. Children and teens have their own references. A ratio can be normal while the waist alone is large, and the reverse. Measures such as BMI and the waist-to-height ratio capture other aspects of body shape, and none of them replaces a clinical assessment with blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.

Common mistakes

Measuring the hips at the hip bones rather than the widest part of the buttocks shrinks the hip number and raises the ratio. Pulling the tape tight, or holding the breath in, lowers the waist reading. Switching the units between the two measurements gives nonsense. And reading a single value as a trend: body measurements vary through the day and between tapes, so compare readings taken the same way over weeks.

Sources: World Health Organization, "Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio: report of a WHO expert consultation" (Geneva, 2008): measurement protocols and the cutoffs of 0.90 (men) and 0.85 (women); U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute / NIH guidance on waist circumference (over 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women). This page gives general information, not medical advice. Related: waist-to-height ratio calculator, BMI calculator and body fat calculator.

For general information only — not medical advice. Talk with your doctor or another health professional about your own health. How we check our calculators.