Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator

About the Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator

Calculates your waist-to-height ratio, a simple indicator of central fat. A ratio below 0.5 is generally considered healthy. This is informational, not medical advice.

How to use

Enter your waist and height in the same unit, then click Calculate.

Worked example

Waist 80 cm, height 175 cm → ratio 0.46 (healthy).

How to use this calculator

1. Measure your waist.
2. Measure your height in the same unit.
3. Enter both values into the calculator.
4. Read the waist-to-height ratio result.

The formula explained

• \(\text{waist}\) = waist measurement, usually taken around the narrowest part or at the level specified by the tool
• \(\text{height}\) = height measurement using the same units as the waist measurement
• \(waist-to-height ratio\) = the waist measurement divided by the height measurement

Step by step method

1. Take a waist measurement using the method recommended by the calculator or your usual measuring guide.
2. Measure your height and make sure both measurements use the same unit, such as centimeters or inches.
3. Divide the waist value by the height value to get the ratio.
4. Use the result as a simple health indicator.

Worked example

Here is a simple example using centimeters.

1. A person has a waist measurement of 80 cm and a height of 170 cm.
2. Compute the ratio: \(80 \div 170 = 0.470588...\).
3. Rounded to two decimals, the waist-to-height ratio is 0.47.

Tips and common mistakes

• Use the same unit for both measurements, such as cm and cm or inches and inches.
• Measure carefully and keep the tape snug but not tight.
• Do not mix up waist and hip measurements, because this calculator uses waist only.
• If you are tracking changes over time, measure the same way each time for consistency.

Frequently asked questions