Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator — WHR & WHO Risk Bands
Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in cm or inches and see the WHO cardiovascular-risk band for men and women. Free, in-browser, no sign-up.
About Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
A waist-to-hip ratio calculator is a tool that divides your waist circumference by your hip circumference to produce the WHR, a simple measure of how body fat is distributed. Because central (abdominal) fat is more strongly linked to heart disease and metabolic risk than fat on the hips and thighs, the World Health Organization publishes WHR thresholds that differ for men and women. This calculator computes your ratio the moment you enter both measurements, classifies it into low, moderate, or high risk, and shows the WHO reference table. Everything runs in your browser — no measurement is uploaded or stored.
Use cases
- Track fat distribution alongside BMI. BMI cannot tell where fat sits, so two people with the same BMI can carry very different health risk. Adding WHR gives a fuller picture: someone with a "normal" BMI but a high WHR is carrying more abdominal fat, which is the more concerning pattern. Recheck your ratio every few weeks to see whether waist-focused changes are moving in the right direction.
- Prepare questions for a check-up. Knowing your WHR and its risk band before a doctor visit helps you ask specific questions — for example, whether your central fat warrants a fasting glucose or lipid panel. The tool never replaces that conversation, but it gives you a concrete number and the WHO band to bring to it.
- Compare cm and inch measurements. Tape measures come in both units and WHR is a ratio, so the unit cancels out — 80/100 cm and 31.5/39.4 in give the same ratio. Use the unit toggle to enter whichever your tape shows without converting by hand, and the calculator handles the rest.
- Set a personal waist target. If your ratio lands in the moderate or high band, you can experiment with a target waist measurement and watch the ratio update live, giving a tangible goal for waist-focused lifestyle changes rather than an abstract weight number.
How it works
- Choose your sex. WHO thresholds differ for men and women, so pick the one that applies — it sets which risk bands are used.
- Pick your unit. Select centimetres or inches to match your tape measure; the ratio is unit-independent either way.
- Measure your waist. Wrap the tape at the narrowest point, usually around the navel, snug but not compressing the skin, and enter the number.
- Measure your hips. Measure at the widest point of your buttocks and enter that value.
- Read your ratio and band. The calculator divides waist by hip, shows the ratio to two decimals, and classifies it as low, moderate, or high risk against the WHO table.
Examples
Input: Woman, waist 80 cm, hip 100 cm
Output: WHR 0.80 — Moderate Risk
For women, 0.80–0.84 is the WHO moderate band; ≥ 0.85 is high.
Input: Man, waist 31.5 in, hip 39.5 in
Output: WHR 0.80 — Low Risk
For men the low band is < 0.90, so the same ratio is lower risk than for a woman.
Input: Woman, waist 96 cm, hip 102 cm
Output: WHR 0.94 — High Risk
A ratio at or above 0.85 for women falls in the high-risk band.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?
By WHO thresholds, low risk is below 0.90 for men and below 0.80 for women. Moderate risk is 0.90–0.99 (men) or 0.80–0.84 (women); high risk is 0.95+/1.0+ for men and 0.85+ for women. "Healthy" depends on your overall health, not the ratio alone.
Is WHR better than BMI?
They measure different things. BMI relates weight to height; WHR describes fat distribution. WHR can flag abdominal fat that BMI misses, but neither is a diagnosis — they are screening indicators that work best together and alongside a clinician’s assessment.
Where exactly do I measure?
Measure the waist at its narrowest point (usually around the navel) and the hips at the widest point of the buttocks. Keep the tape level and snug without compressing the skin, and breathe normally.
Does the unit (cm vs inches) change my ratio?
No. WHR is a ratio of two lengths, so the unit cancels out. The calculator lets you enter either purely for convenience.
Can pregnancy or a lot of muscle affect the result?
Yes. Pregnancy, a very muscular build, bloating, bone structure, age, and ethnicity can all affect how a WHR should be read. Treat the band as a rough screen and discuss context with a healthcare professional.
Is my measurement data uploaded anywhere?
No. The calculation happens entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server or saved.
Should I act on a "high risk" result?
A high-risk band is a prompt to talk with a healthcare professional, not a diagnosis. They can order appropriate tests and interpret the number in the context of your full health.
Pro tips
- Measure at the same time of day (ideally morning, before eating) for consistent readings.
- Stand relaxed and breathe out normally — do not suck in your stomach.
- Use a flexible cloth or fibreglass tape; a rigid metal tape distorts circumference readings.
- Re-measure twice and average if the two readings differ by more than about 1 cm.
- Track the trend over weeks rather than fixating on a single reading.
Reviewed by Ahsan Mahmood · Last updated 2026-07-08 · Part of ZTools.
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