Free WHR calculator · women & men
Waist to Hip Ratio Calculator
Divide your waist by your hips and you get your waist to hip ratio (WHR). Enter both measurements below to see your ratio, how it compares with the World Health Organization cut-off, your hip to waist ratio, and the waist size where your number would cross the line.
Your waist to hip ratio
What is waist to hip ratio?
Waist to hip ratio (WHR), also written waist-hip ratio or waist hip ratio, compares the circumference of your waist with the circumference of your hips. It tells you where your body carries its width. A low ratio means the waist is much narrower than the hips; a ratio close to 1.0 means they are about the same.
Doctors use WHR as a quick screening sign for fat stored around the abdomen, which is linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes more closely than fat stored on the hips and thighs. Stylists and pattern makers use the same two numbers to describe proportion. The body type calculator uses them, alongside your bust, to find your body shape.
How to calculate waist to hip ratio
WHR = waist circumference ÷ hip circumference
- Measure your waist. Write the number down.
- Measure your hips in the same unit.
- Divide the waist by the hips. Round to two decimal places.
| Example | Waist | Hips | WHR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inches | 30 in | 40 in | 30 ÷ 40 = 0.75 |
| Centimetres | 76 cm | 101 cm | 76 ÷ 101 = 0.75 |
| Male example | 36 in | 39 in | 36 ÷ 39 = 0.92 |
The unit doesn’t matter as long as both numbers use the same one. The ratio has no unit, so 0.75 means the same thing in inches and centimetres.
How to measure your waist and hips for WHR
For a health reading, use the WHO measuring method. It places the waist slightly lower than the “narrowest point” that fashion measurements use, so your number may differ a little from the one on the body type calculator.
- Waist: find the lowest rib and the top of your hip bone at the side of your body. Measure halfway between them, at the end of a normal breath out.
- Hips: measure around the widest part of your buttocks, with your feet together.
- Stand up straight, keep the tape level and snug without pressing into the skin, and measure over bare skin or thin clothing.
- Measure twice. If the two readings differ by more than about half an inch (1 cm), measure a third time and use the average of the two closest.
Waist to hip ratio chart
Find your waist down the left and your hips across the top. Shaded cells are at or above the WHO cut-off for the sex you pick.
Values in inches. Shaded = at or above the cut-off.
What is a healthy waist to hip ratio?
The World Health Organization uses one cut-off for each sex. Above it, the risk of metabolic problems such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease is described as substantially increased.
| Below the cut-off | At or above the cut-off | |
|---|---|---|
| Women | under 0.85 | 0.85 and above |
| Men | under 0.90 | 0.90 and above |
Source: Waist circumference and waist–hip ratio: report of a WHO expert consultation (consultation held December 2008, published 2011).
Some websites add “low”, “moderate” and “high” bands. Those bands come from other sources, not from the WHO report, so this calculator sticks to the single WHO line.
Waist to hip ratio for women: under 0.85 is below the line. Women tend to carry more weight on the hips and thighs, so their ratios are naturally lower. Waist to hip ratio for men: under 0.90 is below the line, because men naturally store more at the waist.
Keep three limits in mind. WHR is a screening number, not a diagnosis. The cut-offs were set mainly from studies of adults and may fit some ethnic groups and older people less well. And a ratio can look “fine” when both waist and hips are large, which is why doctors often look at waist size or waist to height ratio as well.
Is 0.7 the ideal waist to hip ratio?
You’ll often see 0.7 described as the “ideal” or “most attractive” WHR for women. The idea comes from psychologist Devendra Singh’s research in the 1990s, in which people rated line drawings of female figures and tended to prefer a ratio near 0.7.
That research is about appearance, not health. From a health point of view, any ratio under 0.85 for women sits on the lower-risk side of the WHO line, and there’s no extra health benefit to reaching exactly 0.7. Your ratio also depends a great deal on your skeleton: the width of your pelvis sets your hip measurement, and no diet or exercise changes bone.
Waist to hip ratio and body shape
WHR is one of the inputs to your body shape, but it can’t tell your shape on its own, because it ignores your bust or shoulders. Two women with a WHR of 0.72 can be an hourglass and a pear. The ranges below follow from the rules the body type calculator uses, for someone with 38-inch hips:
| Body shape | Typical WHR | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hourglass | 0.74 or lower | Waist at least 10 in smaller than hips |
| Spoon | about 0.74–0.82 | Hips 7+ in wider than waist, with a high-hip shelf |
| Pear | about 0.76–0.87 | Hips wider than bust, waist less defined |
| Rectangle | about 0.74–0.87 | Waist only a few inches smaller |
| Apple | 0.88 or higher | Waist close to hip width |
To find your full shape, add your bust and high hip on the body type calculator.
Waist to hip ratio vs BMI vs waist to height ratio
| Measure | What it uses | What it shows | Weak spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHR | Waist, hips | Where fat sits | Ignores overall size |
| BMI | Weight, height | Overall size | Can’t tell muscle from fat or show where fat sits |
| Waist to height ratio | Waist, height | Abdominal fat for your height | Needs an accurate waist reading |
UK guidance from NICE suggests keeping your waist to less than half your height, a waist to height ratio under 0.5. Add your height in the calculator above to see yours, or use the waist to height ratio calculator for more detail.
How to lower your waist to hip ratio
Because your hip width is mostly bone, lowering your WHR almost always means reducing fat around the waist. There is no exercise that removes fat from one spot, but the habits that reduce abdominal fat overall are well established: regular activity, strength training, enough sleep, less alcohol, and fewer highly processed foods and sugary drinks.
If your ratio is above the WHO line, or it has risen over the past year, talk to a doctor before starting a new plan. They can check blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, which tell you far more than one tape measurement.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate waist to hip ratio?
Measure your waist halfway between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone, and your hips at the widest part of the buttocks, in the same unit. Then divide the waist by the hips: a 32-inch waist and 40-inch hips give 0.80.
How do I work out my hip to waist ratio?
Divide your hips by your waist instead. With a 40-inch hip and a 30-inch waist, the hip to waist ratio is 1.33; the waist to hip ratio is 0.75.
What is a good waist to hip ratio for women and men?
Under 0.85 for women and under 0.90 for men, based on WHO cut-offs. Below that line, a lower number brings no extra health benefit.
Is a 0.7 waist to hip ratio good?
For health, yes: it’s well below the 0.85 line for women. It’s also the ratio that attractiveness studies most often point to, but you don’t need to reach it to be in the healthy range.
Is waist to hip ratio better than BMI?
They measure different things. WHR shows where fat is stored; BMI shows overall size. Doctors often use both, together with waist size.
How can I lower my waist to hip ratio?
By reducing fat around the waist, since hip width is mostly bone. Regular activity, strength training, good sleep and less alcohol and processed food all help. Talk to a doctor if your ratio is above the WHO line.
More body measurement tools
This calculator is for general information. It doesn’t diagnose any health condition or replace advice from a doctor.