Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator with WHO Cutoffs by Sex (2026)
Enter your waist and hips to see your WHR and whether it reads low, moderate or high risk for your sex, on bands built around the WHO cutoffs. Free.
Your waist-to-hip ratio compares the inches around your waist to the inches around your hips. It's a long-standing measure of fat distribution — apple vs. pear shape — with risk bands built around the World Health Organization's cutoffs.
What is waist-to-hip ratio?
Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) divides your waist circumference by your hip circumference. A higher number means you carry relatively more fat around the middle (an 'apple' shape) versus the hips and thighs (a 'pear' shape). Abdominal fat is the pattern most associated with cardiovascular and metabolic risk.
The World Health Organization's 2008 expert report gives one line for substantially increased risk: a WHR of 0.90 or above for men and 0.85 or above for women. The low, moderate and high bands this calculator shows are a common way of building on those lines. For women, 0.85 is where high risk starts; for men, 0.90 is where low risk ends.
WHR vs. waist-to-height ratio
Both look at central fat. WHR compares waist to hips; waist-to-height ratio compares waist to height with a single 0.5 cutoff that's easier to remember. Many clinicians now favor waist-to-height for its simplicity, but WHR remains a widely used, well-validated measure — and it needs no height at all.
Formula & sources
Waist-to-hip ratio
The WHO line for substantially increased risk is a WHR of 0.90 or above for men and 0.85 or above for women. The low, moderate and high bands are this calculator's, built around those lines.
Sources
- World Health Organization (2008) Waist Circumference and Waist–Hip Ratio: Report of a WHO Expert Consultation. Geneva: WHO, 2008 (published 2011).
Waist-to-hip ratio FAQ
What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?
0.80 or below for women and 0.89 or below for men, which this calculator reads as low risk. Above that, women read moderate at 0.81 to 0.84 and high at 0.85 or above; men read moderate at 0.90 to 0.99 and high at 1.00 or above. The bands are built around the World Health Organization's 2008 line for substantially increased risk: 0.85 or above for women and 0.90 or above for men. Women's numbers are lower because women naturally carry more hip and thigh mass.
How do I measure my waist and hips?
Waist: at the narrowest point of your torso, or at the navel if there's no clear narrowing. Hips: around the widest part of the buttocks. Keep the tape horizontal and snug, measure on bare skin, and average two readings.
Is waist-to-hip ratio better than BMI?
It tells you something BMI can't — how your fat is distributed. A normal-BMI person with a high WHR may still carry risk-linked abdominal fat. Use it alongside BMI and waist measurement rather than instead of them.
Why are the cutoffs different for men and women?
Because women usually store more fat around the hips and thighs, which lowers a healthy WHR. The World Health Organization's lines for substantially increased risk reflect that: 0.90 or above for men and 0.85 or above for women. This calculator's low, moderate and high bands follow the same split, so the same ratio can read differently for a man and a woman.