Waist-to-hip ratio
Two measurements, a WHO-validated cardio indicator.
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Two measurements, and you know more than with BMI
The question is not just how much fat, but where it sits. Abdominal fat is the most dangerous for the heart and metabolism — and the waist-to-hip ratio detects it with a simple tape measure. The WHO uses it as the official indicator of abdominal obesity.
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Measure your waist
At the narrowest point or the navel, at the end of a normal exhale.
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Measure your hips
At the widest point of the buttocks, tape horizontal.
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Read your level
The ratio appears with your WHO risk band highlighted.
WHO waist-to-hip ratio thresholds
| Risk level | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Low | < 0.90 | < 0.80 |
| Moderate | 0.90 – 0.99 | 0.80 – 0.84 |
| High (abdominal obesity) | ≥ 1.00 | ≥ 0.85 |
A high ratio is a signal, not a diagnosis: discuss it with your doctor, who will cross it with blood pressure, glucose and lipid panel. Combine with BMI and body fat for the full picture.
Frequently asked questions
Why the waist-to-hip ratio rather than BMI?
BMI ignores where fat sits. Abdominal (visceral) fat surrounds the organs and is metabolically active: it raises cardiovascular and diabetes risk far more than hip fat. The ratio captures precisely that distribution.
Where exactly do I measure?
Waist: midway between the last rib and the iliac crest (in practice, at the narrowest point, or at the navel), at the end of a normal exhale. Hips: at the widest point of the buttocks. Tape horizontal, neither tight nor loose, standing.
What are the WHO thresholds?
The WHO defines abdominal obesity above 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women — “substantially increased” risk. Below 0.90/0.80, risk is low. In between: the watch zone.
“Apple” or “pear” shape — what difference does it make?
The apple shape (belly fat, high ratio) is metabolically riskier than the pear (hip and thigh fat, low ratio) — even at identical weight and BMI. That is the whole point of this complementary indicator.