How to use the Waist-Hip Ratio
- Measure your waist at the narrowest point, or at the navel if there is no natural narrowing.
- Measure hips at the widest point of the buttocks.
- Measure at the end of a normal exhale, without pulling the tape tight.
- Compare both ratios against the thresholds shown.
How the calculation works
The ratio is waist divided by hip circumference. WHO defines substantially increased risk above 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women, reflecting abdominal fat distribution. Visceral fat around the organs is metabolically active, releasing inflammatory signals and free fatty acids that drive insulin resistance, in a way that subcutaneous hip and thigh fat does not — which is why two people at the same BMI can have very different risk profiles.
Waist-to-height ratio is increasingly preferred: the single guideline of keeping your waist under half your height applies across sexes and ethnicities, needs no second measurement, and predicts cardiometabolic outcomes at least as well. Absolute waist thresholds also vary by ethnicity — South Asian and East Asian populations show elevated risk at lower circumferences than European ones, so population-specific cut-offs are used clinically.
WHR = waist / hip ; waist-to-height = waist / height, target below 0.5Source: WHO waist circumference and waist–hip ratio report (2008); waist-to-height ratio guidance per NICE obesity assessment.
Worked example
A woman with a 79 cm waist, 102 cm hips and 165 cm height.
- WHR = 79 / 102 = 0.775.
- That is below the 0.85 threshold for women.
- Waist-to-height = 79 / 165 = 0.479.
- That is under the 0.5 guideline.
A ratio of 0.78 and a waist-to-height of 0.48 both sit in the lower-risk range — a reassuring result independent of what the scale says.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?+
Below 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women per WHO thresholds. Lower generally indicates less abdominal fat and lower metabolic risk.
Is this better than BMI?+
For metabolic risk, yes. BMI cannot distinguish abdominal from peripheral fat, and fat location is what drives insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk.
Should I use waist-to-height instead?+
It is simpler and at least as predictive. Keeping your waist under half your height is a single guideline that works across sexes and populations.
Where exactly do I measure the waist?+
At the narrowest point between ribs and hips, or at navel level if no natural narrowing exists. Measure at the end of a normal exhale without compressing the skin.
Last reviewed August 31, 2026. We review this page whenever the underlying formula, tax year, published rate or standard changes.