Waist-to-Hip Ratio & Body Shape Calculator
Compare your waist and hip measurements to get the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), your apple-or-pear body shape, and the WHO risk band for your sex.
How it works
WHR = waist circumference ÷ hip circumference
Waist-to-hip ratio contrasts fat stored around the belly with fat stored around the hips and buttocks. A higher ratio (an "apple" shape) means proportionally more visceral fat, which is linked to higher risk of heart disease and diabetes, while a lower ratio (a "pear" shape) carries less metabolic risk. The World Health Organization uses different thresholds for men and women because women naturally carry more hip and thigh fat. Take both measurements relaxed, at the end of a normal breath out.
Worked example
A man with an 84 cm waist and 100 cm hips has WHR = 84 ÷ 100 = 0.84 — below the 0.90 moderate-risk line, so low risk and a pear-leaning shape.
Sources: World Health Organization — Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio report
Frequently asked questions
Why are the thresholds different for men and women?
Women store more fat around the hips and thighs for hormonal and reproductive reasons, so an equivalent level of abdominal fat produces a lower ratio. The WHO therefore sets lower cut-offs for women (0.80 / 0.85) than for men (0.90 / 1.00).
What does an "apple" vs "pear" shape mean?
An apple shape stores fat around the abdomen (higher ratio) and carries more cardiometabolic risk; a pear shape stores it around the hips and thighs (lower ratio) and is metabolically safer. Genetics, sex and hormones largely set which pattern you follow.
Is waist-to-hip better than BMI?
It captures fat distribution, which BMI ignores, so it adds information — but it is still a screening number. Clinicians usually look at it alongside BMI, waist size and blood markers rather than on its own.
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Educational estimate, not medical advice — for personal health decisions consult a qualified healthcare professional.