The waist to height ratio (WHtR) calculator is a measure of your body fat distribution.
The higher your WHtR is, the higher the risk of obesity-related cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, stroke or death. The value should be less than 50% in healthy adults. To achieve this your waist circumference should be less than half of your height.
To measure your waist, take the measurement just above the belly button using a stretch-resistant tape measure.
WHtR Range Classification
To calculate your WHtR manually, simply divide your waist circumference (cm) by your height (cm) and multiply by 100.
Then compare your ratio with the table below:
| WHtR Classification | WHtR Range | Health Risk | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underweight Risk | < 0.40 | Possible underweight | Take Care |
| Healthy | 0.40 – 0.49 | Low | OK |
| Increased Risk | 0.50 – 0.59 | Increased | Consider Action |
| High Risk | ≥ 0.60 | High | Take Action |
Based on the Ashwell® Shape Chart (Ashwell & Gibson 2016, NICE guidelines 2022)
More Reliable than BMI
Studies have shown that WHtR is a more accurate indicator of cardiovascular, diabetes and stroke risk than body mass index (BMI) because it takes into account abdominal fat. Abdominal fat affects your body more adversely than fat around the hips and bottom.
Nevertheless, you may want to try our BMI calculator and waist to hip ratio calculator to get a more complete picture of your body composition.