Waist to Height Ratio Calculator

What is waist-height ratio?

The Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) is a simple, yet effective, health metric used to measure body fat distribution and assess obesity-related health risks. Men and women should keep their waist circumference, no more than half their height. A ratio of 0.5 or lower is often considered healthy, indicating that your waist circumference is less than half your height.

Waist to height ratio can be obtained by dividing waist size by height:
Waist-to-Height Ratio = Waist circumference​ / Height

Use Medindia's Waist to Height Ratio Calculator to assess your health risk related to body weight. By entering your waist measurement and height, the calculator categorizes your body weight into one of four categories:

• Underweight
• Healthy weight
• Overweight
• Obese

How to measure waist-height ratio

• Place the tape measure directly on your skin.
• Measure your waist by placing the tape horizontally halfway between your lowest rib and the top of your hipbone.
• Breathe out normally and take the measurement.
• Hold the tape lightly so as to not compress your skin.
• Measure your correct height by standing erect.

Waist Circumference is considered a risk factor for heart disease, irrespective of height and build, in the following cases:

• Men: Over 94 cm (approx. 37 inches)
• Women: Over 80 cm (approx. 31.5 inches)

For a person with a height of 1.7 meters or 170 cms (approx. 67 inches or 5ft and 7 inches) and a waist circumference of 0.8 meters or 80 cms (approx. 31.5 inches), the waist-to-height ratio would be approx. 0.47. This is below the threshold of 0.5, indicating that this individual's waist circumference is less than half of their height, which is often considered a healthy ratio in terms of obesity and related health risks.

This metric is praised for its simplicity, as it is an easy tool that can be used by both professionals and the general public in assessing health risks associated with obesity such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and hypertension(1^✔).

Do remember not to confuse waist to height ratio with the 'Waist to Hip Ratio' which is used to measure body fat distribution. Both, however, can be used to screen possible health problems. Waist circumference has a direct correlation with the risk of developing heart disease, because it measures the critical levels of fat accumulated between internal organs and the torso, that is, visceral fat. Visceral fat is directly connected to strokes and heart disease. Greater the waist circumference, the higher the morbidity and mortality from heart disease, diabetes, stroke and hypertension.

Advertisement

Interesting Top Ten Facts on Waist to Height Ratio

1. It is important to remember that while waist to height ratio calculator is useful but it should be used in conjunction with other health measurements and professional medical advice.
2. Experts claim that the waist height ratio is a much more accurate measurement of weight than the tried and tested Body Mass Index (BMI)(2^✔).
3. Waist-Height Ratio is a good early assessment tool for measuring obesity and its associated risks.
4. Apple shaped bodies are those with bigger waists and excess weight around the abdomen. They carry excess abdominal fat (close to the heart, liver and kidneys) and is therefore at far greater health risk.
5. Pear shaped body is one that carries more weight around the hips with a narrower waist A pear shaped body is believed to have reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease and other metabolic complications.
6. If you can keep your waist circumference to less than half of your height, you will reduce your risk for stroke, heart disease and diabetes.
7. For people under 40, a waist to height ratio of over 0.5 can be critical, while for people between 40 and 50 years of age, the critical value is between 0.5 and 0.6. For people over 50 the critical value begins at 0.6.
8. Your waist measurements are the most accurate just after you wake up from 7-8 hours of sleep.
9. The waist-height ratio is equally valid for children and adults, irrespective of age, although the parameters for waist circumference, height and waist-height ratio could vary between different race and ethnicity.
10. India ranks No.1 worldwide in diabetes incidence. Thus, in India, the Waist-Height Ratio can act as a perfect indicator to assess Risk of Heart disease.