Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio, WHO's standard cardiovascular risk screening metric.
0.89
Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is the World Health Organization's standard screening metric for cardiovascular risk related to fat distribution -- fat carried around the waist ("apple" shape) is associated with higher risk than fat carried around the hips ("pear" shape).
Enter your waist and hip circumference (same units) and your sex. Your ratio and risk category appear instantly.
WHR = Waist Circumference / Hip Circumference
WHO's published increased-risk thresholds: ≥0.90 for men, ≥0.85 for women.
Pair this with the Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator and BMI Calculator for a fuller picture -- no single metric captures health risk completely.
Suppose a person measures a waist of 34 inches and hips of 38 inches. The calculation is 34 divided by 38, which is about 0.895, displayed as 0.89. For a man, the tool's increased-risk cutoff is 0.90, so this result falls just under it and is labeled lower risk. If the same measurements are entered with Female selected, the cutoff is 0.85, so the identical ratio is labeled increased risk. The numbers did not change; only the sex-specific threshold did. That is why choosing the correct sex setting matters as much as measuring accurately.
Ratio = 34 / 38 = 0.895. Male cutoff 0.90 (below it), female cutoff 0.85 (above it).
The tool gives only two labels: increased health risk when the ratio meets or exceeds the cutoff for the selected sex, and lower health risk when it does not. Those are screening labels, not a diagnosis. A ratio just below the line is not a guarantee of good health, and one just above it does not mean something is wrong. Think of the ratio as a trend indicator. Measuring every month or so under the same conditions tells you more than any single reading.
This tool is educational and is not medical advice. If your result is in the increased-risk range, or you have a family history of heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure, a clinician can combine your measurements with blood pressure, blood tests, and your history. Do not change medications or start a restrictive diet based on a single ratio.
Visceral (abdominal) fat is more metabolically active and more strongly associated with cardiovascular and metabolic risk than fat stored in the hips/thighs.
They measure different things -- WHR reflects fat distribution, BMI reflects overall weight relative to height; using both gives a fuller picture than either alone.
Measure waist at the narrowest point (typically just above the belly button) and hips at the widest point, without compressing the skin.
Yes. The tool divides one number by the other, so any unit works as long as waist and hip use the same one.
The calculator applies a threshold of 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women, reflecting the typical difference in fat distribution between the sexes. Select the option that matches the reference range you want to compare against.
It is labeled lower risk, but the ratio is one screening number. Measurement error alone can shift it slightly, so track it over time and consider other health markers too.
Every few weeks under similar conditions, such as the same time of day and same tape position, is usually enough to see a real trend without reacting to daily fluctuation.
Reference: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention