What waist-to-height ratio is normal?

A WHtR below 0.5 is healthy — your waist under half your height. 0.5–0.6 is increased risk, 0.6 and above is high. The rule is the same for men and women.

Why is WHtR better than BMI?

WHtR reflects abdominal fat, the most dangerous for heart and metabolism, whereas BMI can’t tell fat from muscle. So waist-to-height often predicts risk better, especially at a normal BMI.

What is a normal waist-to-hip ratio?

By WHO, risk rises above 0.90 in men and 0.85 in women. A high ratio means an “apple” shape with belly fat — riskier than a “pear”.

What matters more — weight or waist?

Waist and its ratio to height often matter more than weight alone: visceral fat is more dangerous than total fat. You can have a normal BMI but a high WHtR — a hidden risk worth watching.

Waist-to-height and waist-to-hip ratio

Q: How do I measure my waist correctly?

Standing, fasting, at the navel, without pulling your stomach in or tightening the tape. Hips at the widest point. Measure under the same conditions to track the trend.

Your waist reflects health risk better than weight alone. Enter your waist and height — the calculator computes the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) by the simple “keep it under half your height” rule. Add hip circumference and sex to also get the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and body shape.

Calculate waist ratios

Enter your waist and height — the result appears instantly.

Waist index norms

WHtR (waist/height) is universal and sex-independent; WHR (waist/hip) is judged by WHO thresholds separately for men and women. Measure the waist at the navel, without pulling your stomach in.

Metric	Assessment
Waist/height below 0.5	Healthy range
Waist/height 0.5–0.6	Increased risk
Waist/height 0.6 and above	High risk
Waist/hip > 0.90 (men) / > 0.85 (women)	Abdominal obesity (WHO)

Waist-to-height (WHtR): why it beats BMI

The waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) = waist ÷ height. Simple rule: keep your waist under half your height (WHtR < 0.5). It reflects abdominal (visceral) fat — the most dangerous for heart and metabolism — more accurately than BMI, which can’t tell fat from muscle.

WHtR works the same for men and women and even children from age 6, so it’s a handy quick risk screen.

Waist-to-hip (WHR) and body shape

The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) = waist ÷ hips. By WHO, increased risk starts above 0.90 in men and 0.85 in women. A high WHR is an “apple” shape (belly fat), a low one a “pear” shape (hip fat).

The “apple” type carries a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease than the “pear”, even at the same weight.

How to measure correctly

Measure the waist in the morning, fasting, standing, at the navel (or midway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone), without pulling your stomach in or tightening the tape. Hips at the widest point of the buttocks.

A single reading is a guide. The trend matters more: losing a few centimetres off the waist lowers risk even without large weight loss.

Frequently asked questions

A WHtR below 0.5 is healthy — your waist under half your height. 0.5–0.6 is increased risk, 0.6 and above is high. The rule is the same for men and women.
WHtR reflects abdominal fat, the most dangerous for heart and metabolism, whereas BMI can’t tell fat from muscle. So waist-to-height often predicts risk better, especially at a normal BMI.
By WHO, risk rises above 0.90 in men and 0.85 in women. A high ratio means an “apple” shape with belly fat — riskier than a “pear”.
Standing, fasting, at the navel, without pulling your stomach in or tightening the tape. Hips at the widest point. Measure under the same conditions to track the trend.
Waist and its ratio to height often matter more than weight alone: visceral fat is more dangerous than total fat. You can have a normal BMI but a high WHtR — a hidden risk worth watching.

Check your metabolism with tests

Upload your tests (glucose, lipids, insulin) — AI links them to abdominal fat and shows your full metabolic risk.

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This calculator is for reference and information only and is not a diagnosis. Risk assessment and management are determined by a doctor from the full set of measures.