Adult measurement context

Waist-to-hip ratio

Divide waist circumference by hip circumference, with optional WHO population reference context. The ratio is only one screening measurement.

This cannot diagnose obesity or health. Pregnancy, recent abdominal surgery, ascites, oedema, body-shape differences and measurement technique can make the reference inappropriate. Ask a qualified professional if the measurement is being used for a clinical decision.

Measurements

  1. Use the same non-stretch tape and unit for both readings.
  2. Measure waist at the midpoint between the last palpable rib and top of the hip bone, after a normal breath out.
  3. Measure hip at the widest circumference over the buttocks.

These sex-specific thresholds come from population research and may not fit every body or population.

Result

Enter a measurement context and both circumferences to calculate the ratio.

Interpret with care

The arithmetic is waist ÷ hip, so centimetres and inches produce the same ratio when the same unit is used for both. A measurement at or above a selected WHO public-health reference is a conversation prompt, not evidence that a person has obesity, diabetes, heart disease or any other condition. The app suppresses adult thresholds for pregnancy or abdominal change, people under 18, and uncertain contexts.

Official sources, reviewed 26 July 2026: WHO waist circumference and waist–hip ratio expert consultation report (2011); WHO STEPS physical-measurement instrument.