Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is a simple measure of where your body stores fat, and it’s linked in research to cardiovascular risk independent of overall weight. Measure your waist at its narrowest point and your hips at their widest point, in the same units.
Thresholds used: World Health Organization cutoffs, where a ratio of 0.90 or more in men and 0.85 or more in women indicates substantially increased risk of metabolic complications. This is a screening estimate, not a diagnosis. See our medical disclaimer.
What waist-to-hip ratio tells you
Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is your waist circumference divided by your hip circumference. It describes where your body stores fat. Fat carried around the abdomen, especially visceral fat packed around the organs, is more strongly linked to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke than fat carried on the hips and thighs. Two people with the same weight and BMI can have very different risk depending on that pattern, which WHR captures and BMI does not.
How to measure correctly
- Stand upright with your feet together and arms relaxed. Wear light clothing or measure on bare skin.
- Waist: find the midpoint between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone (iliac crest). This is the WHO method, and for most people it is around the level of the belly button or slightly above. Measure at the end of a normal breath out, without sucking in.
- Hips: measure around the widest part of your buttocks.
- Keep the tape level all the way around and snug, but not pressing into the skin.
- Measure twice and use the average. Use the same units, inches or centimeters, for both.
Waist-to-hip ratio chart
| Risk level | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | Below 0.90 | Below 0.80 |
| Moderate | 0.90 to 0.99 | 0.80 to 0.84 |
| Higher | 1.0 or above | 0.85 or above |
The WHO's single cutoff for substantially increased risk is 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women. The three-band layout above is a common way of presenting the same evidence in more detail.
Waist-to-hip ratio vs waist circumference vs BMI
- BMI uses weight and height only. It is quick but cannot tell muscle from fat or show where fat sits.
- Waist circumference alone is simple and well studied. In the U.S., a waist above 40 inches (102 cm) in men or 35 inches (88 cm) in women is commonly used to flag higher risk.
- Waist-to-hip ratio adds body shape. Large studies, including the INTERHEART study of heart attacks across 52 countries, found WHR predicted heart attack risk better than BMI.
- Waist-to-height ratio uses one simple rule for everyone: keep your waist under half your height. Try our waist-to-height ratio calculator.
No single measure is perfect. Clinicians usually look at more than one alongside blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
Limitations
WHR is less reliable in pregnancy, in people with a BMI above 35 (where waist and hip both grow and the ratio can look normal), in children, and in very muscular people. The cutoffs come largely from studies of adults of European descent, and lower thresholds are sometimes used for some Asian populations.
If your ratio is high
Abdominal fat responds well to the same things that improve overall health: regular aerobic activity, strength training, better sleep, limiting alcohol and refined carbohydrates, and gradual weight loss. Spot-reducing with targeted ab exercises does not work. If your ratio is in the higher range, it is worth asking your doctor about checking blood pressure, blood sugar (A1C) and cholesterol. For some people, prescription weight-management medicines are an option.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy waist-to-hip ratio?
Generally below 0.90 for men and below 0.85 for women, according to WHO cutoffs. Lower ratios are associated with lower cardiometabolic risk.
Why are the cutoffs different for men and women?
Women naturally carry more fat on the hips and thighs, so their ratio is lower on average. The cutoffs reflect where risk starts to rise for each sex.
Can I lower my waist-to-hip ratio?
Yes. Visceral fat is often among the first fat lost with regular exercise and weight loss, so the ratio frequently improves even before the scale changes much.
Is waist-to-hip ratio better than BMI?
For predicting heart disease, several large studies suggest it is, because it reflects fat distribution. In practice they work best together, since each misses things the other catches.
Sources
- World Health Organization. Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio: report of a WHO expert consultation. 2008. WHO
- Yusuf S, et al. Obesity and the risk of myocardial infarction in 27,000 participants from 52 countries (INTERHEART). Lancet. 2005. PubMed
- Assessing your weight and health risk. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
About this article
Written by the Health Linear Editorial Team from primary sources such as FDA prescribing information, DailyMed, NIH and peer-reviewed studies, which are linked in the article. Last updated October 27, 2026.
Read our editorial process and medical disclaimer. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.