Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator

About this calculator

This tool divides waist circumference by height to produce the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), then places the result in a health category — commonly a ratio under 0.5 is considered healthy for most adults, while higher values signal increasing risk. Many researchers consider WHtR a better screening measure than BMI alone because it directly captures central (abdominal) fat, which is more strongly linked to cardiovascular and metabolic risk than overall body weight, and because a simple "keep your waist below half your height" rule works across a wide range of heights.

It is used by people tracking their own health markers at home alongside or instead of BMI, and referenced by clinicians and public health researchers as a quick, no-equipment screening tool for cardiometabolic risk, since it needs only a tape measure and a height. It complements rather than replaces other measures — someone can have a normal BMI but an elevated WHtR if their fat is concentrated around the midsection.