By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) compares waist circumference with hip circumference. It describes where fat is stored and is used alongside BMI to assess cardiometabolic risk. A higher ratio means more central fat relative to hip size.
Measure central fat distribution with WHO risk bands.
WHR = waist circumference ÷ hip circumference
WHO identifies increased risk at a WHR of 0.90 or above in men and 0.85 or above in women, with substantially increased risk at 1.00 and 0.90 respectively. These are population screening bands, not individual diagnoses.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| WHR | Waist-to-hip ratio, unitless. |
| Waist | Circumference at the midpoint between rib and hip. |
| Hip | Circumference at the widest point of the buttocks. |
85 ÷ 100 = 0.85. For a woman this sits at the increased-risk threshold; for a man it is below the 0.90 threshold. The same waist with 95 cm hips gives 0.89, showing how hip size changes the ratio.
Hip circumference carries information about gluteofemoral fat and skeletal frame. Epidemiological studies found that people with the same waist but larger hips tended to have lower metabolic risk, which is why the ratio predicts better than waist alone in some cohorts. The ratio also has a weakness: it can fall if hip circumference increases, even when waist stays high. That means a person can 'improve' their WHR by gaining hip fat without reducing central fat. For that reason, modern guidance increasingly pairs WHR with absolute waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio. If your WHR is high, the useful question is whether your waist is also high. If both are high, central adiposity is likely. If only the ratio is high because the hips are narrow, the interpretation is less clear.
Continue with the ABSI Calculator (A Body Shape Index), Adjusted Body Weight Calculator, or the BAI Calculator (Body Adiposity Index) — or browse more body measurements tools and all health calculators.
Also see the Body Fat Calculator.
They answer different questions. Waist circumference measures absolute central fat; WHR measures its proportion relative to hip size. Guidelines often use both with BMI.
Every result is a screening estimate from published anthropometric equations, not a diagnosis or a measurement of body composition. Tape measurements should be taken snugly against the skin without compressing it, at the landmarks named in each tool. Equations were derived in specific populations and can be less accurate for athletes, older adults, children, pregnant people and people with significant oedema.
Reference material used to build and check this calculator:
Last reviewed: September 2026. See how we build and check every tool on the about page.
Content updated: September 2026