Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator

Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) is a simple anthropometric measure that divides waist circumference by height, both in the same units. WHtR below 0.5 indicates a healthy waist relative to height. The simple rule 'keep your waist to less than half your height' has been validated across multiple ethnicities and both sexes.

WHtR may be a better predictor of cardiometabolic risk than BMI alone because it specifically measures central (abdominal) adiposity, which is more strongly associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Unlike absolute waist circumference, WHtR accounts for height, making it more comparable across individuals of different statures.

Below 0.40: Very slim or underweight (concern for undernutrition). 0.40-0.49: Healthy. 0.50-0.59: Overweight; increased risk. 0.60 or above: Central obesity; high cardiometabolic risk. These categories were proposed by Ashwell and Gibson (2016) and vary slightly across different reference frameworks.

Measure at the narrowest point of the torso (natural waist), typically midway between the lower rib margin and the iliac crest, at the end of a normal exhalation, without compressing the abdomen. Both waist and height should be in the same unit (cm or inches); only the ratio matters.

Yes. WHtR is useful in children because it adjusts for height at different growth stages. A boundary of 0.5 has been proposed across most pediatric ages and ethnicities. For children, WHtR may be more practical than age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles for identifying central adiposity.