How to Use This Calculator
Enter your waist circumference (narrowest point above navel after exhaling) and hip circumference (widest point of buttocks). Select your sex. The calculator returns your WHR and a risk classification based on WHO standards.
Formula & Background
WHR = waist ÷ hip. WHO risk thresholds — men: low <0.90, moderate 0.90–0.99, high ≥1.0; women: low <0.80, moderate 0.80–0.84, high ≥0.85. WHR predicts cardiovascular disease risk more reliably than BMI because visceral (abdominal) fat is metabolically active — it produces inflammatory cytokines that damage blood vessels over time.
Calculation Example
Female, waist 72 cm, hip 98 cm: WHR = 72 ÷ 98 = 0.73 (Low Risk).
Male, waist 92 cm, hip 100 cm: WHR = 0.92 (High Risk). At WHR 0.92, cardiovascular disease risk is approximately double compared to WHR 0.85 in large epidemiological studies.
Expert Tips
- Stand straight and breathe normally when measuring. Don't hold your breath or suck in your stomach.
- Waist: smallest circumference above navel (not at navel). Hip: widest point of buttocks.
- WHR >0.95 (men) or >0.85 (women) is a stronger predictor of heart attack risk than total cholesterol in several large studies.
- Consistent aerobic exercise reduces waist circumference even when total body weight stays the same.