WHR measures how your body stores fat — a WHO-recognized predictor of cardiovascular and metabolic risk, alongside BMI.
Reviewed by Sarah Mitchell, BSc Nutrition · Last updated: July 2026
cm
Measure at the midpoint between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone. How to measure →
cm
Measure at the widest part of your hips/buttocks.
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Low riskModerateHigh risk
Next step: Pair this with your
BMI and
body fat percentage for a fuller picture of your health.
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How to Measure Correctly
A 2 cm error in either measurement can meaningfully change your result.
1
Waist: find the midpoint between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone (roughly navel level)
2
Hips: wrap the tape around the widest part of your hips/buttocks, keeping it level
3
Stand relaxed, feet together, breathe out gently. Measure over bare skin, not clothing. Take two readings and average them
WHO Waist-to-Hip Ratio Risk Categories
Thresholds differ by sex.
Category
Men
Women
Low risk
< 0.90
< 0.80
Moderate risk
0.90 – 0.99
0.80 – 0.84
High risk
≥ 1.00
≥ 0.85
Source: World Health Organization, Waist Circumference and Waist-Hip Ratio: Report of a WHO Expert Consultation (2011).
Frequently Asked Questions
According to WHO thresholds, a healthy waist-to-hip ratio is below 0.90 for men and below 0.80 for women. A ratio of 0.90–0.99 (men) or 0.80–0.84 (women) indicates moderate risk, and 1.00 or above (men) or 0.85 or above (women) indicates substantially increased health risk.
Waist-to-hip ratio is your waist circumference divided by your hip circumference, both measured in the same unit:
WHR = Waist ÷ Hip
For example, someone with an 80 cm waist and 100 cm hips has a WHR of 80 ÷ 100 = 0.80.
WHR and BMI measure different things. BMI reflects overall weight relative to height, while WHR reflects fat distribution — specifically, how much fat is stored around the abdomen versus the hips. Research suggests WHR is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular risk than BMI alone, since abdominal (visceral) fat is more metabolically harmful than fat stored elsewhere. Using both together, alongside our BMI calculator, gives the fullest picture.
Both measure abdominal fat distribution, but waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) compares waist size to height, while waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) compares waist size to hip size. WHtR uses a single universal threshold (0.5) for all adults, while WHR uses separate thresholds for men and women since hip size differs by sex. Both are useful complements to BMI — see also our Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator.
Stand with feet together and wrap a flexible tape measure around the widest part of your buttocks/hips, keeping the tape level and snug but not compressing the skin. Take two readings and average them for accuracy.
Why Where You Store Fat Matters
Two people can have the exact same weight and BMI, yet very different health risks — depending on where their body stores fat. Fat stored around the abdomen (sometimes called an "apple" body shape) surrounds and infiltrates organs like the liver and pancreas, and is far more metabolically active than fat stored around the hips and thighs (a "pear" body shape).
Waist-to-hip ratio captures this difference directly by comparing the two measurements. A higher WHR indicates proportionally more fat carried around the abdomen relative to the hips — a pattern linked to greater cardiovascular and metabolic risk regardless of total body weight.
💡 Apple vs pear: "Apple-shaped" fat distribution (higher WHR) is associated with greater cardiometabolic risk than "pear-shaped" distribution (lower WHR), even at the same total body weight.
WHR vs Waist-to-Height Ratio vs BMI
These three metrics each capture something different, and using them together gives a more complete picture than any one alone:
BMI reflects overall weight relative to height but cannot show fat distribution or distinguish fat from muscle.
Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) compares abdominal fat to hip/gluteal fat — useful for capturing "apple vs pear" body shape, with sex-specific WHO thresholds.
Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) compares abdominal fat to overall height, using one universal 0.5 threshold for all adults. Try our Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator.
For the most complete picture of your health, check your BMI, WHR, and body fat percentage together rather than relying on any single number.
Can I Lower My Waist-to-Hip Ratio?
Since WHR is driven mainly by abdominal fat, the same strategies that reduce visceral fat generally improve WHR over time:
A consistent moderate calorie deficit — use our Calorie Calculator to find your target.
Regular aerobic exercise (150–300 minutes/week of moderate cardio).
Strength training to preserve muscle and support metabolism.
Adequate sleep and stress management, since both affect abdominal fat storage.
Body fat distribution also has a genetic component that can't be changed through lifestyle alone — WHR is a useful tracking tool, not a target to chase at any cost.
References:
World Health Organization. Waist Circumference and Waist-Hip Ratio: Report of a WHO Expert Consultation. Geneva, 2011.
Yusuf S, et al. Obesity and the risk of myocardial infarction in 27,000 participants from 52 countries: a case-control study. The Lancet. 2005;366(9497):1640–1649.