Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
Calculate waist-to-hip ratio — a strong predictor of cardiovascular risk.
Health
Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
Generated on April 24, 2026
?What is the Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator?
The Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) is a World Health Organization-recommended indicator of abdominal obesity and cardiovascular risk. Large-scale studies — including the landmark INTERHEART study — have shown that WHR predicts heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and early mortality better than BMI alone, because it captures where fat is stored rather than just how much. Belly fat (visceral fat) is metabolically active and dangerous; hip and thigh fat is largely passive and much less risky. Measuring WHR is free, fast, and more clinically informative than stepping on a scale.
The Formula
A simple ratio — but it reveals fat distribution patterns. A high WHR means belly-dominant (apple-shape) fat distribution, which includes visceral fat surrounding the internal organs and is strongly linked to cardiovascular and metabolic disease. A lower WHR indicates hip and thigh (pear-shape) fat dominance, which is predominantly subcutaneous and largely inert metabolically. Simply measuring once with a soft tape measure gives a powerful risk signal that BMI completely misses.
Practical Examples
A man with 85 cm waist and 95 cm hip has WHR 0.89 — low cardiovascular risk.
A man with 100 cm waist and 95 cm hip (apple shape) has WHR 1.05 — high risk, worth lifestyle intervention.
A woman with 75 cm waist and 95 cm hip has WHR 0.79 — low risk.
A woman with 90 cm waist and 100 cm hip has WHR 0.90 — high risk by WHO thresholds.
A sedentary office worker with apple-shape fat (high WHR) benefits most from cardio exercise and a modest calorie deficit, which reduce visceral fat preferentially.
A fit individual with low WHR and normal BMI but with hip-dominant fat can be metabolically healthy even if scale weight is slightly above 'ideal' — shape matters more than weight alone.