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BMI Calculator
Body Mass Index with WHO classification and healthy weight range.
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Waist-to-Height Ratio
Cardiometabolic risk screen using waist circumference divided by height. Supports cm and inches. No signup — your inputs stay in your browser.
Step By Step
How to Use This Calculator
4 steps
- Measure your waist circumference at the navel level, after a gentle exhale, tape horizontal and snug.
- Measure your standing height (without shoes) or use the value from your most recent medical check-up.
- Enter both in the same unit — cm or inches — using the toggle.
- Compare your result to the WHtR classification table below the gauge.
Worked Example
Example: Waist 82 cm, Height 172 cm
Use this sample to sanity-check your inputs and understand what the final result represents.
- 1WHtR = 82 ÷ 172 = 0.477
- 20.477 falls in the range 0.43–0.53 = Healthy
- 3Healthy waist range for 172 cm: 0.43 × 172 = 73.96 cm to 0.53 × 172 = 91.16 cm
Final Result
WHtR 0.477 — Healthy range. Waist is less than half of height (0.5 threshold not exceeded).
Methodology
Ashwell & Hsieh (2005) — Waist-to-Height Ratio
This section explains the calculation logic, assumptions, and source material used to make the result more trustworthy and easier to verify.
WHtR = Waist circumference ÷ Height. Both in the same unit (cm or in). A simple screening rule: keep waist to less than half your height (WHtR < 0.5). Classification boundaries from Ashwell & Hsieh (2005) meta-analysis, subsequently endorsed by the British Heart Foundation and referenced in NICE guidelines CG189 (2014).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR)?+
WHtR is your waist circumference divided by your height, both in the same unit (cm or inches). The resulting dimensionless number reflects central — or abdominal — adiposity. Excess fat stored around the abdomen, especially visceral fat surrounding organs, is more metabolically harmful than fat stored elsewhere. WHtR was validated by Margaret Ashwell and Shiuann-Shuoh Hsieh in a 2005 meta-analysis published in Nutrition Research Reviews, and is endorsed by the British Heart Foundation and NHS as a complementary metric alongside BMI.
What is a healthy WHtR?+
A WHtR below 0.5 is the widely cited threshold for lower cardiometabolic risk — a simple rule of thumb is 'keep your waist to less than half your height.' The Ashwell and Hsieh (2005) classification defines 0.43–0.53 as healthy for most adults. Values above 0.58 are associated with substantially increased risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. These cut-offs apply to adults of both sexes; some researchers suggest slightly tighter cut-offs for women.
How is WHtR different from BMI?+
BMI uses only weight and height. It cannot distinguish where fat is stored in the body, so someone with large muscle mass or a different fat distribution may be misclassified. WHtR directly measures abdominal circumference and is therefore a better proxy for visceral fat and central obesity. A 2012 systematic review by Lee et al. in the journal Obesity Reviews found WHtR was a marginally better predictor of cardiometabolic risk than either BMI or waist circumference alone.
Where exactly should I measure my waist?+
Measure at the navel level (belly button) against bare skin, after a gentle exhale, with the tape horizontal and snug but not compressing the skin. Do not hold your breath in or suck in your stomach. For consistency, measure at the same time of day (morning is best) and repeat three times, using the average. This follows the WHO (2008) measurement protocol used in research studies.
Does WHtR apply to children and teenagers?+
WHtR can be applied to children and adolescents, and some paediatric research supports its use as an obesity screening tool from around age 6 onwards. However, the standard adult cut-offs (e.g. 0.5) are not validated for children. Paediatric-specific reference charts are available but not yet universally standardised. For children, consult a paediatrician rather than relying on adult calculators.