Adult Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) Calculator
Calculate adult waist-to-hip ratio from standardized waist and hip circumferences in metric or US units.
Content updated: View sources
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Formula and medical content are based on the references listed on this page. See sources, About, and Sources and Review Process.
About
Interpretation
Standardized waist measurement
Measure while standing, at the midpoint between the lowest palpable rib and the top of the iliac crest, at the end of normal expiration. Keep the tape horizontal, close to the body, and without compressing the skin. [1, 2]
Standardized hip measurement
Measure the maximum circumference over the buttocks with a horizontal tape that does not compress the skin. Repeated measurements should use the same site, posture, tape tension, and technique. [1, 2]
Population association, not personal probability
WHR has been associated with myocardial infarction and all-cause mortality in population research. Association does not establish an individual probability, diagnosis, or causal conclusion, and this page calculates none of those. [3, 4]
WHO 2011 historical public-health action reference
| Population context | Historical WHR reference |
|---|---|
| Men | ≥ 0.90 |
| Women | ≥ 0.85 |
Sex does not enter the WHR arithmetic, and this page neither asks the user to select a table row nor creates an automatic classification. These historical public-health references are not universal personal diagnostic thresholds; applicability varies with population, age, ethnicity, measurement protocol, and complete clinical context. [1]
Rounding near a reference point
The calculation retains the unrounded ratio and displays three decimal places. For example, 0.8996 displays as 0.900. Display rounding cannot establish or exclude a public-health reference state, and this page performs no threshold comparison.
Not a body-composition measurement
WHR is not DXA, CT, MRI, BIA, direct visceral-fat measurement, or total body-fat percentage measurement. It is the ratio of two external circumference measurements. [1, 4]
Worked arithmetic and rounding examples
Metric: 90 cm ÷ 100 cm = 0.900.
US-equivalent: 35.4331 in ÷ 39.3701 in represents the same measurements to the shown input precision and produces the same three-decimal result; full exact inch conversions preserve the same unrounded ratio.
Rounding boundary: 89.96 cm ÷ 100 cm = 0.8996, displayed as 0.900.
These examples demonstrate arithmetic and rounding only, not diagnosis or personal risk classification. A WHR above 1 is mathematically valid, and the page does not generate a label because a ratio is above 1 or near a historical reference point. [1, 5]
Related anthropometric measures are not interchangeable
Waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, BMI, and waist-to-hip ratio use different inputs and answer different anthropometric questions. Do not apply a reference point from one measure to another. [1, 4]
References
- World Health Organization. Waist Circumference and Waist-Hip Ratio: Report of a WHO Expert Consultation. Geneva, 8–11 December 2008. Published 2011. ISBN 9789241501491.
- World Health Organization. STEPwise Approach to NCD Risk Factor Surveillance: STEPS Manual and physical-measurement protocol. Current resource.
- Yusuf S, et al. Obesity and the risk of myocardial infarction in 27,000 participants from 52 countries: a case-control study. Lancet. 2005;366(9497):1640–1649. PMID 16271645. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67663-5.
- Jayedi A, et al. Central fatness and risk of all cause mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of 72 prospective cohort studies. BMJ. 2020;370:m3324. doi:10.1136/bmj.m3324.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology. NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.8: inch to centimeter conversion.
FAQ
It divides waist circumference by hip circumference after normalizing the selected metric or US customary inputs to the same physical unit. The result is a unitless waist-to-hip ratio (WHR).
Sources: [1]
No. Adult WHR arithmetic is waist divided by hip, so age and sex do not enter the equation. The page does not ask for either solely to generate an automatic category.
Sources: [1]
The WHO 2011 consultation discussed 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women as historical public-health action references. They are sex-specific population context, not universal diagnostic labels or automated instructions on this page.
Sources: [1]
Yes. A ratio above 1 occurs when the waist circumference is greater than the hip circumference. The arithmetic is valid, but the result alone is not a diagnosis or an individual treatment decision.
Sources: [1]
No. It reports the ratio only and does not provide treatment, nutrition, exercise, or weight-management recommendations.
Sources: [1]
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RFM
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BMI
Calculate adult BMI from metric or US customary inputs and view the CDC adult screening category with non-diagnostic interpretation limits.
Disclaimer
Educational and informational reference only. Not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or independent verification.