WHR Calculator

Assess your fat distribution and cardiovascular risk.

Guide to Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR): A Key Indicator of Your Health

More than just the total weight on the scale, the way fat is distributed throughout your body is a crucial factor for your health. The Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) is a simple and powerful tool, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), to assess this distribution and identify potential health risks, especially cardiovascular ones.

Why Does Fat Location Matter? Apple vs. Pear Shape

Your body shape, in terms of fat storage, can tell a lot about your health. WHR helps to objectively classify this shape:

  • Apple Shape (Android): Characterized by a larger waist circumference and more fat stored in the abdominal region. This pattern is associated with a greater amount of visceral fat, which surrounds the internal organs. This type of fat is metabolically active and releases inflammatory substances that increase the risk of disease. A high WHR indicates an 'apple' shape.
  • Pear Shape (Gynoid): Characterized by wider hips and more fat stored in the hips, thighs, and buttocks. This subcutaneous fat (under the skin) poses fewer direct risks to metabolic health. A low WHR indicates a 'pear' shape.

WHR is a quick and reliable way to determine if you have a riskier 'apple' shape distribution of body fat.

How to Measure Correctly for an Accurate Calculation

The accuracy of the calculator depends entirely on the accuracy of your measurements. Follow these steps precisely:

  1. Get Ready: Stand up straight and relaxed, with your feet close together. Remove any bulky clothing that might interfere with the measurements. Use a flexible, non-stretch tape measure.
  2. Measure Your Waist Circumference: Locate the top of your hip bone (iliac crest) and the bottom of your last rib. The correct place to measure your waist is the midpoint between these two spots. Wrap the tape measure around this point, ensuring it is level with the floor. The measurement should be taken at the end of a normal exhalation, without sucking your stomach in.
  3. Measure Your Hip Circumference: Wrap the tape measure around the widest part of your hips and buttocks. Again, ensure the tape is level all the way around.
  4. Record and Calculate: Write down both measurements and enter them into the calculator above to get your WHR.

Interpreting Your WHR Result: Risk Levels

The WHO establishes clear cutoff points for interpreting the risk associated with WHR in adults. A result above the threshold indicates a substantially increased risk for metabolic diseases.

Gender Low Risk Moderate Risk High Risk
Women Below 0.81 0.81 - 0.85 Above 0.85
Men Below 0.95 0.95 - 1.0 Above 1.0

A result in the moderate or high-risk range is an important warning sign. It suggests that your body fat distribution may be increasing your chances of developing conditions like coronary artery disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes, even if your BMI is normal.

WHR vs. BMI vs. WHtR: A Complete Picture

It's best to use WHR alongside other metrics for a full health assessment:

  • BMI (Body Mass Index): Tells you if your weight is healthy for your height, but doesn't account for composition.
  • WHR (Waist-to-Hip Ratio): Tells you about your body shape and fat distribution, a key risk factor.
  • WHtR (Waist-to-Height Ratio): Another excellent measure of central obesity. It follows the simple rule that your waist circumference should be less than half your height.

Using all three gives you a much more complete and accurate picture of your health than any single one alone.

Strategies to Improve Your WHR

Reducing a high WHR means focusing on losing abdominal fat. For this, an integrated plan is needed:

  • Proper Nutrition: The first step is to create a calorie deficit. Use our BMR calculator to find out your daily needs. Focus on a diet rich in fiber and protein, and low in sugar and processed foods.
  • Cardiovascular Exercise: Activities like running, swimming, cycling, and brisk walking are excellent for burning calories and reducing overall body fat, including visceral fat.
  • Strength Training: Weightlifting increases muscle mass, which speeds up your resting metabolism and helps with long-term fat burning.
  • Stress Management and Sleep: Chronic stress increases levels of cortisol, a hormone that promotes fat storage in the belly. Quality sleep is also crucial for hormonal regulation.
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Important Medical Disclaimer

This calculator is an informational screening tool. The results should be discussed with a doctor or health professional, who can perform a complete assessment and provide personalized guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions about WHR

The Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) is an anthropometric measurement that compares your waist circumference to your hip circumference. It is used as an indicator of body fat distribution and to assess health risks associated with abdominal (visceral) fat.

WHR is important because fat accumulation in the abdominal region ('apple' shape) is more strongly associated with risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension than fat stored in the hips and thighs ('pear' shape). A high WHR indicates greater risk.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular risk increases significantly when the WHR is greater than 0.90 for men and greater than 0.85 for women. Values below these are considered low risk.

Use a flexible measuring tape. For the waist, measure at the midpoint between your last rib and the top of your hip bone (iliac crest), usually around navel height. For the hips, measure at the widest part of your buttocks. Keep the tape snug but not compressing the skin, and breathe normally during the measurement.

WHR and BMI measure different things and are complementary. BMI assesses whether your weight is appropriate for your height but doesn't distinguish between fat and muscle. WHR assesses fat distribution. A person can have a normal BMI but a high WHR, indicating a hidden risk. It's best to use both for a more complete assessment.

To lower your WHR, the focus should be on reducing abdominal fat. This is achieved through a combination of a balanced diet with a calorie deficit, aerobic exercise (running, cycling) to burn fat, and strength training to increase muscle mass and metabolism.

Visceral fat is the fat that accumulates deep in the abdominal cavity, surrounding vital organs like the liver, pancreas, and intestines. It is metabolically more active and more dangerous than subcutaneous fat (just under the skin), as it releases inflammatory substances that increase the risk of chronic diseases.

No. The reference values for WHR are established for adults. This calculator is not suitable for children, adolescents, or pregnant women, as their body measurements and associated risks are different.

No, they are different but complementary measures. WHR compares the waist to the hips, assessing body shape (apple vs. pear). WHtR compares the waist to the height, following the rule that 'your waist should be less than half your height.' Both are excellent for assessing the risk of central fat. You can calculate your WHtR on our specific calculator.

Yes, and this is a risky condition known as 'normal-weight central obesity' (or 'skinny fat'). The person has a healthy weight for their height but accumulates dangerous fat in the abdominal region. This shows why WHR is such an important indicator, complementing the information from BMI.

Not directly. Abdominal exercises strengthen the core muscles, which is great for posture and stability. However, they do not 'spot reduce' the fat on the belly. To reduce abdominal fat and, consequently, your WHR, you need a weight loss plan that involves diet and full-body exercise.

The values are different due to hormonal and genetic factors that influence fat distribution. Women tend to store more fat in the hips and thighs (pear shape), while men tend to store more in the belly (apple shape). Therefore, the cutoff points that indicate risk are different.

Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of conditions—increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels—that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. A high WHR is one of the key criteria for diagnosing metabolic syndrome.

The formula is very simple: WHR = Waist Circumference / Hip Circumference. The measurements must be in the same units (e.g., both in inches or both in centimeters).

This is another way of asking about WHR. A 'good' or low-risk ratio is below 0.85 for women and below 0.90 for men. The lower the number, the more 'pear-shaped' the body is, which is associated with lower cardiovascular risk.

Yes, a WHR of 0.8 is an excellent result for a woman. It falls comfortably within the 'Low Risk' category (below 0.85), indicating a healthy distribution of body fat.

A WHR of 1.0 for a man falls into the 'Moderate Risk' category (0.95 to 1.0). It means his waist circumference is the same as his hip circumference, indicating a significant amount of abdominal fat and an increased risk for related health problems.

To calculate waist circumference, use a flexible tape measure. Stand up and place the tape around your middle, at a point midway between your lowest rib and the top of your hipbone. Breathe out normally and record the measurement.

No. This is a health-focused calculator for the Waist-to-Hip Ratio only. The bust-waist-hip ratio is typically used for clothing fit and tailoring, not for assessing health risk.

The results section of our calculator provides a personalized risk chart based on the World Health Organization's guidelines. It clearly shows the risk levels (Low, Moderate, High) for both men and women and highlights your specific result.

From a health perspective, it is better to have wider hips in proportion to your waist. A lower WHR (smaller waist, larger hips) indicates a 'pear' body shape, which is associated with lower health risks compared to an 'apple' shape (larger waist).

The time it takes to improve your WHR depends on many factors, including your starting point, diet, exercise consistency, and genetics. With a consistent plan, you can start to see measurable changes in your waist circumference within a few weeks to a couple of months.

While WHR is a ratio, general guidelines often suggest that a waist circumference over 40 inches (102 cm) for men and over 35 inches (88 cm) for women indicates an increased health risk, regardless of hip size.

Yes, chronic stress can increase levels of the hormone cortisol, which has been shown to promote the storage of visceral fat in the abdominal area. This can directly lead to a higher and less healthy waist-to-hip ratio.

Many studies, including a large one published in The Lancet, have suggested that WHR is a better predictor of heart attack risk than BMI. This is because WHR specifically measures central obesity, which is a stronger risk factor for heart disease than overall weight.