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What Your Waist-to-Hip Ratio Means for Your Health
Waist-to-hip ratio shows where you carry fat, not just how much. Learn how to measure it, what the WHO risk thresholds are for men and women, and how it compares with BMI.
Updated 26 October 2026 · 2 min read
Two people can share the same weight and BMI yet face very different health risks, because where you carry fat matters as much as how much you carry. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) captures that in a single number: it compares the size of your middle to the size of your hips.
How to measure it
You only need a tape measure, and the units don't matter as long as you use the same one for both:
- Measure your waist at its narrowest point, usually just above the navel, breathing out normally and not pulling the tape tight.
- Measure your hips at their widest point around the buttocks.
- Divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement. A 80 cm waist and 100 cm hips give 80 ÷ 100 = 0.80.
What the thresholds mean
The World Health Organization uses different cut-offs for men and women, because women naturally carry more fat on the hips. These are the bands the waist-to-hip ratio calculator reports:
- Men — Low risk: below 0.90. Moderate: 0.90 to 0.99. High: 1.0 and above.
- Women — Low risk: below 0.80. Moderate: 0.80 to 0.84. High: 0.85 and above.
A higher ratio points to more visceral fat — fat stored around the organs in the abdomen — which is more strongly associated with heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure than fat stored on the hips and thighs. This is the 'apple' versus 'pear' body-shape distinction you may have heard of.
WHR versus BMI
BMI compares your weight to your height but says nothing about where fat sits, so it can miss abdominal fat on someone of 'normal' weight. WHR goes straight to fat distribution. Neither tells the whole story alone, which is why they're best read together. Compare your BMI alongside your WHR, and see what BMI actually tells you for how to interpret it. For composition rather than distribution, body fat percentage adds a third angle.
Using it well
Treat WHR as a screening signal, not a diagnosis. The most useful thing you can do with it is track it over time with consistent measuring technique: a ratio that drifts downward as waist size falls is a meaningful sign of progress, whatever the scale says. If your ratio sits in the high-risk band, it's worth discussing with a healthcare professional rather than acting on the number alone.
Frequently asked questions
- Is waist-to-hip ratio better than BMI?
- They measure different things. BMI is a quick weight-for-height screen; WHR shows where you carry fat, which can reveal abdominal fat that BMI misses. Reading both together gives a fuller picture than either on its own.
- Where exactly should I measure my waist and hips?
- Measure the waist at its narrowest point, roughly at or just above the navel, and the hips at their widest point around the buttocks. Keep the tape level and snug but not tight, and measure on bare skin or light clothing for consistency.
- What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?
- By WHO thresholds, below 0.90 for men and below 0.80 for women is considered low risk. Ratios of 1.0 or more for men and 0.85 or more for women fall in the high-risk band and are worth discussing with a healthcare professional.