What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?

According to World Health Organization guidance, a WHR under 0.90 for men and under 0.80 for women is generally considered lower risk.

Why does waist-to-hip ratio matter?

Research associates "apple-shaped" fat distribution (more fat around the waist relative to the hips) with higher risk of cardiovascular and metabolic conditions compared with "pear-shaped" distribution.

How is this different from waist-to-height ratio?

Waist-to-height ratio compares your waist to your height, while waist-to-hip ratio compares your waist to your hip circumference — both are simple screening tools for fat distribution, using different reference points.

Health & Fitness

Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator

Enter your sex, waist circumference, and hip circumference to calculate your waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and see its associated risk category.

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Enter your sex, waist, and hip measurements above to calculate your ratio.

This result is an estimate for informational and educational purposes. It isn’t a diagnosis and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor, registered dietitian, or other qualified professional. See our methodology and sources for the formula used and its limitations.

How it works

Waist-to-hip ratio divides waist circumference by hip circumference, giving a measure of body fat distribution — a higher ratio generally indicates more "apple-shaped" fat distribution, which research links to higher health risk than "pear-shaped" fat distribution.

Formula & methodology

Waist and hip must use the same unit. Risk bands follow World Health Organization guidance and differ for men and women.

RatioWHR = Waist circumference ÷ Hip circumference

What each term means

Waist: Measured at the narrowest point of the torso.
Hip: Measured at the widest part of the hips.

Risk bands

Category	Men	Women
Low risk	Below 0.90	Below 0.80
Moderate risk	0.90 – 0.99	0.80 – 0.84
High risk	1.0 and above	0.85 and above

Worked example

A woman with an 75 cm waist and 100 cm hips has a WHR of 0.75, in the "Low risk" range.

Common uses

—Screening for “apple-shaped” fat distribution linked to higher cardiovascular risk.
—Comparing body shape and fat distribution against WHO reference thresholds.
—Tracking body composition changes that a single weight or BMI number wouldn’t capture.

Important notes

—Risk thresholds differ by sex because typical fat distribution differs between men and women.
—Like other simple ratios, WHR is a screening indicator, not a diagnosis.