Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is waist circumference divided by hip circumference. It is a simple central-fat sketch used in public-health cut-offs. This page uses WHO-style thresholds of 0.85 for women and 0.90 for men. It is not a diagnosis, not a body-fat percentage, and not a substitute for clinical care.
Measure waist at the midpoint between the lowest rib and the iliac crest (or as your protocol specifies) and hips at the widest point of the buttocks. Use the same unit for both (cm or inches); the ratio is unitless.
WHR = waist ÷ hip. Larger WHR means more waist relative to hips.
Category “increased” means WHR is at or above 0.85 (female) or 0.90 (male). “Lower” means below that line. Those WHO-style lines flag substantially increased risk in population studies — they do not name a disease.
Tape placement changes the number. Compare only measurements taken the same way. Clothing and post-meal bloating also move the tape.
Worked example
Waist 80 cm, hip 100 cm → WHR 0.80. For a woman that is below 0.85 (lower). Waist 90 and hip 100 for a man is 0.90 (increased).
Frequently asked questions
Is this a diagnosis of obesity or heart disease?
No. It is a ratio with population cut-offs. BMI, blood pressure, lipids, and a clinician’s exam say more. Do not self-diagnose from WHR.
WHO 0.85 / 0.90 — source?
WHO and many public-health summaries have used about 0.85 (women) and 0.90 (men) as WHR levels associated with substantially increased metabolic risk. Protocols and alternative cut-offs exist. This is a style of screening, not a personal medical opinion.
Waist vs waist-to-height?
Different index. Waist-to-height (often 0.5) is another screening idea. This page is waist/hip only.
Inches or centimeters?
Either, as long as both measurements use the same unit. 32 in / 40 in = 0.80, same as 81 cm / 101 cm approximately.
What about non-binary or intersex bodies?
Pick the cut-off your clinician uses, or ignore the label and read the raw ratio. The two boxes are only WHO-style binary bands.