WHR Calculator

Calculate your Waist-to-Hip Ratio to assess metabolic health and cardiovascular risk according to WHO guidelines.

📏 How to Measure Correctly

1
Waist: Measure at the narrowest part of your torso, just above the belly button. Keep tape parallel to the floor; don't hold your breath or pull tight.
2
Hip: Measure at the widest part of your hips and buttocks. Keep tape parallel to the floor and stand with feet together.
3
Tips: Wear minimal clothing. Measure after exhaling normally. Take 2–3 measurements and use the average for best accuracy.

Basic Information

Age helps provide more specific health risk context.

Body Measurements

Narrowest part of your torso, above belly button.
Widest part of your hips and buttocks.
0.00
Normal

WHO Health Risk Categories

Men

Low RiskWHR < 0.90
Moderate RiskWHR 0.90 – 0.99
High RiskWHR ≥ 1.00

Women

Low RiskWHR < 0.80
Moderate RiskWHR 0.80 – 0.84
High RiskWHR ≥ 0.85

More Free Calculators

BMI LMI FFMI WHR Ideal Weight BMR & TDEE

Understanding WHR

Waist-to-Hip Ratio is a key indicator of body fat distribution and metabolic health risk, recognized by the WHO as a predictor of cardiovascular disease.

🍎 Body Shape Indicator

WHR identifies "apple" shape (higher WHR, more abdominal fat) vs "pear" shape (lower WHR, more hip fat). Apple shapes carry significantly higher health risks.

❤️ Cardiovascular Risk

Higher WHR is strongly associated with increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and metabolic syndrome. Abdominal fat is more metabolically dangerous than hip fat.

🩺 Medical Significance

WHR is used by healthcare professionals worldwide to assess health risks — often more predictive of cardiovascular outcomes than BMI alone.

💪 Improving WHR

Reduce waist circumference through cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and a healthy diet. Focus on reducing overall body fat, especially visceral abdominal fat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?

According to WHO guidelines, men with a WHR below 0.90 are at low cardiovascular risk, 0.90 to 0.99 indicates moderate risk, and 1.00 or above indicates high risk. For women, below 0.80 is low risk, 0.80 to 0.85 is moderate risk, and above 0.85 is high risk. Research shows that WHR predicts cardiovascular disease risk better than BMI alone because it directly reflects abdominal fat distribution.

How do I measure my waist and hips correctly?

Measure your waist at the narrowest point between your ribs and hip bone, usually at navel level. Measure your hips at the widest point around the buttocks. Use a flexible, non-stretchy tape measure, stand straight with feet together, and measure on bare skin or light clothing. Take the measurement after exhaling normally — do not hold your breath or pull the tape tight. For best accuracy, take two to three measurements and use the average.

Why is WHR important for health?

WHR indicates where your body stores fat, which matters more for health than total fat alone. Central or abdominal fat (apple-shaped body distribution) is strongly correlated with higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and metabolic syndrome. This is because visceral fat around the organs is more metabolically active and releases inflammatory compounds. People with a pear-shaped distribution (more hip and thigh fat) generally face lower metabolic health risks.

What is the difference between WHR and BMI?

BMI measures your total body mass relative to height but provides no information about where fat is stored on your body. WHR specifically measures the distribution of fat between your waist and hips, identifying whether you carry more abdominal fat. A person can have a normal BMI yet have a high WHR indicating dangerous central fat accumulation. For a comprehensive health assessment, using both metrics together — along with body composition tools — gives the most complete picture.