Body Composition
Waist-to-Hip Ratio
Computes the waist-to-hip ratio and classifies cardiometabolic risk per WHO thresholds.
Waist-to-Hip Ratio at a glance
Rather than repeating a single reference figure, the Waist-to-Hip Ratio below personalizes it: your own measurements feed the same published equation the reference ranges are built from.
Nothing here is a black box - the script embedded in this page applies the published equation shown in the code with the inputs you enter, and returns the same precision you would get working it out manually.
Computes the waist-to-hip ratio and classifies cardiometabolic risk per WHO thresholds. If you log meals, this is the companion number: it uses the same units and daily framing as the diary, which makes comparing your intake against the target a one-glance check rather than a conversion exercise.
About Waist-to-Hip Ratio
The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is one of the oldest and best-validated anthropometric indices of abdominal adiposity and cardiometabolic risk. It captures the relative distribution of body fat between the abdominal (android) and gluteofemoral (gynoid) depots, which is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality than total adiposity alone. The World Health Organization has defined sex-specific WHR thresholds for abdominal obesity that are used worldwide in clinical and epidemiological practice.How the formula works
The WHR is simply waist circumference divided by hip circumference, both measured in the same units (typically centimeters). Waist is measured at the midpoint between the lowest rib and the top of the iliac crest (the WHO protocol) or at the umbilicus (the NIH protocol), and hip is measured at the point of maximum circumference over the buttocks. The ratio is dimensionless and typically falls between 0.7 and 1.1 in adults.Evidence and the apple-versus-pear distinction
The seminal evidence for the importance of fat distribution came from Jean Vague's work in the 1940s and 1950s, which identified android (abdominal) and gynoid (gluteofemoral) obesity as distinct metabolic risk profiles. The WHR operationalized this distinction, and a large subsequent literature has confirmed its predictive value. The INTERHEART study (Yusuf et al. Lancet 2005), a case-control study of 27,000 participants across 52 countries, found that WHR and waist-to-height ratio were stronger predictors of myocardial infarction than BMI, with WHR in the top versus bottom quintile conferring an odds ratio of about 2.0. A 2020 meta-analysis in JAMA Network Open pooled 72 prospective studies and confirmed that WHR predicts all-cause mortality independently of BMI.WHO risk thresholds
The World Health Organization defines abdominal obesity as WHR greater than 0.90 in men and greater than 0.85 in women. Ratios below these thresholds are considered low risk, and the risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease rises progressively above them. The WHO also defines a 'substantially increased risk' category at WHR above 1.0 in men and 0.9 in women. Some guidelines, including the National Institutes of Health, prioritize waist circumference alone (greater than 102 cm in men and 88 cm in women) over WHR for clinical screening, but WHR captures distributional information that waist circumference alone does not.When to use it
WHR is useful as a quick, equipment-free screen for abdominal obesity and cardiometabolic risk. It is particularly valuable in populations where BMI underestimates risk, such as South Asians and older adults, who carry more visceral fat at any given BMI. WHR is also useful for tracking changes in fat distribution during weight loss, since fat is often lost preferentially from the abdominal depot.Limitations
WHR has two important limitations. First, it is a ratio, so the same value can result from different combinations of waist and hip; a person can reduce their WHR by losing abdominal fat or by gaining hip and thigh mass, which have different health implications. Second, hip circumference reflects both fat and muscle, so very muscular individuals (such as strength athletes) may have low WHR that reflects muscle rather than health. WHR also does not distinguish subcutaneous from visceral abdominal fat, although the two have different metabolic profiles. For clinical risk stratification, WHR is best paired with waist circumference and, where available, a direct measure of visceral fat such as imaging. Despite these limitations, WHR remains one of the most useful and widely used anthropometric risk markers.
Editorial and formula review
Formula sources, population limits, and references for this body composition calculator are documented in our public methodology. Read the methodology · Medical disclaimer
Frequently asked questions
For the WHO protocol, measure waist at the midpoint between the lowest rib and the top of the iliac crest, and hip at the point of maximum circumference over the buttocks. Both measurements are taken with a flexible tape horizontal and snug but not compressing the skin, at the end of a normal exhalation.
The WHO defines abdominal obesity as WHR above 0.90 in men and 0.85 in women. Ratios above 1.0 in men and 0.9 in women indicate substantially increased cardiometabolic risk. The risk rises progressively above the threshold rather than jumping at a single cut point.
They capture different information. Waist circumference is simpler and is the NIH-preferred screening measure. WHR adds distributional information by relating waist to hip size, which can matter in populations with unusual body build. Many clinicians use both, along with BMI, for a fuller risk picture.