Calculate waist circumference divided by hip circumference. Enter either measurement in centimeters or inches; the calculator converts mixed units before dividing. Choose an adult reference comparison or Ratio only.
How to measure your waist and hips
Use a flexible, non-stretch tape against light clothing or bare skin. Stand upright with your feet together and keep your abdomen relaxed. Locate the midpoint between the lowest palpable rib and the top of the hip bone for the waist measurement. Read the tape after breathing out normally, without pulling it tight enough to compress the skin. Measure the hips at the widest part of the buttocks and keep the tape horizontal. These locations follow the WHO measurement guidance.
Repeat a measurement if the tape moved or was tilted. Use the same landmarks and method when comparing measurements over time. A trouser size or a measurement taken at a different waist location is not interchangeable with this protocol.
Understanding the reference comparison
This page uses adult comparison values of 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women. It labels a result above those values as Above reference; equality is shown as At or below reference. These cutoffs are used in published research, including this 2023 Ghana Medical Journal study. They are screening references, not a diagnosis or a boundary between healthy and unhealthy people.
The WHO consultation discusses how interpretation varies with age, sex and ethnicity. A lower ratio does not rule out health problems. This tool withholds the comparison for people under 18 and during pregnancy. Choose Ratio only if a population comparison is not appropriate for you.
WHR, BMI and body-fat percentage
WHR describes the relationship between two circumferences. It does not calculate body-fat percentage or a target weight. Two people with different waist and hip measurements can have the same ratio. BMI instead compares weight with height; the BMI Calculator provides that separate calculation.
The ratio is displayed to four decimal places, but reference comparisons use its unrounded value. Small differences near a cutoff can reflect tape placement rather than a meaningful physical change. Discuss concerns or changing measurements with a qualified clinician in the context of your overall health.
Formula
WHR = waist circumference / hip circumference
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
Convert both measurements to the same unit before dividing.
Examples
Measurements in centimeters
A waist of 80 cm and hips of 100 cm give 80 / 100 = 0.8000.
Measurements in inches
A 36-inch waist and 40-inch hips give 0.9000. Converting both to centimeters leaves the ratio unchanged.
Mixed units
A waist of 76.2 cm and hips of 40 inches gives 76.2 / 101.6 = 0.7500.