Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is a proportion signal — how your waist compares to your hips — that complements your full body shape result. Enter two measurements below for an instant, private, on-device calculation.
Not medical advice. This tool is a proportion/styling calculator, not a health assessment or diagnosis. Any health-risk context shown is general population research attributed to the WHO, not a personal evaluation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional for health-related questions.
What is waist-to-hip ratio?
Waist-to-hip ratio is simply your waist measurement divided by your hip measurement. Where our main body shape calculator uses three measurements (bust or chest, waist, and hips) to classify a full shape, WHR isolates just the waist-to-hip relationship — a narrower, more focused proportion signal rather than a complete shape classification.
How to measure waist and hips
Wrap a soft tape around your waist at its narrowest point — usually just above the navel — keeping it level and snug but not tight. Then measure your hips at their widest point, feet together. Use the same unit for both numbers; because WHR is a ratio of two same-unit measurements, the result is identical whether you measure in centimetres or inches — the cm/in toggle above only changes how the numbers are displayed, not the calculation itself.
What your WHR band means
This calculator uses a single published cutoff per sex, not an invented scale:
- Women: below 0.85 — narrower waist relative to hips. At or above 0.85 — waist closer in size to hips.
- Men: below 0.90 — narrower waist relative to hips. At or above 0.90 — waist at or near hip size.
These cutoffs come from the World Health Organization’s Waist Circumference and Waist-Hip Ratio: Report of a WHO Expert Consultation (Geneva, 8–11 December 2008; published 2011), which defines the higher band as “substantially increased” health risk in general population studies. That health-risk framing is general population research, explicitly attributed to WHO — not a personal health assessment of your result.
How WHR relates to body shape
For women, a lower WHR often overlaps with pear or hourglass proportions, while a higher WHR often overlaps with apple or rectangle proportions. For men, a lower WHR often overlaps with rectangle or inverted triangle proportions, while a higher WHR often overlaps with oval proportions. These are tendencies, not guarantees — WHR uses two measurements, our main calculator uses three, so the two can disagree for an individual.
Want the full three-measurement classification? Try the body shape calculator, or convert your measurements to a clothing size with the dress size calculator.
FAQ
What is a waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)?
Waist-to-hip ratio is your waist measurement divided by your hip measurement — a simple proportion that describes how your waist compares to your hips, independent of your overall size. A lower ratio means a narrower waist relative to your hips; a higher ratio means the two are closer in size.
How do I measure my waist and hips for this calculator?
Measure your waist at its narrowest point (usually just above the navel) and your hips at their widest point, keeping the tape level and snug but not tight. Use the same unit for both measurements — the ratio itself doesn't depend on whether you choose centimetres or inches.
Is the waist-to-hip ratio calculator medical advice?
No. This tool is for informational and proportion/styling purposes only — it is not a health assessment, diagnosis, or personalized medical recommendation. The WHO-cited context shown alongside your result reflects general population research, not an assessment of your individual health. Consult a qualified healthcare professional for any health-related questions.
How does WHR relate to my body shape result?
WHR looks at only two measurements — waist and hips — while our main body shape calculator also factors in your bust or chest to classify shapes like hourglass, pear, apple, and rectangle. The two tools measure related but different things: think of WHR as one extra proportion signal, not a replacement for your full body shape result.
Does the cm/in unit toggle affect my WHR result?
No. Waist-to-hip ratio is a proportion of two measurements in the same unit, so it comes out identical whether you measure in centimetres or inches. The toggle only changes how the numbers are displayed.