Basics Calculating Your Waist to Hip Ratio By Jennifer R. Scott Jennifer R. Scott is a weight loss writer. She designed her own successful weight loss plan, which helped her safely lose 50 pounds in about a year. Learn about our editorial process Jennifer R. Scott Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Anisha Shah, MD on September 04, 2020 linkedin Anisha Shah, MD, is a board-certified internist, interventional cardiologist, and a fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Learn about our Review Board Anisha Shah, MD on September 04, 2020 Print Ruth Jenkinson/Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is a measurement that compares the size of your waist in inches to the size of your hips in inches. The risk for developing heart disease can be estimated using your WHR. The WHR is just one of several ways your doctor might estimate your risk for cardiovascular disease and other illnesses. Calculating your WHR is easy to do, takes very little time, and doesn't cost anything. In addition, if you change WHR to improve your health, you can easily track your progress as you slim down. Calculating Your Waist-to-Hip Ratio Your doctor or nurse might calculate WHR at your office appointment, but you can easily measure it at home. You'll need a flexible tape measure and a calculator. Measure your waist circumference. Wrap the tape measure around the widest part of your stomach, across your belly button. The tape measure should rest gently on your skin. Once the tape measure is positioned correctly, breathe in gently, and then take the measurement on the exhale.Take a hip measurement. Stand with your feet directly beneath your hips and wrap the tape around the widest part of your hips and buttocks. Note the measurement in inches.Calculate your WHR. Divide your waist size by your hip size to get your WHR. To measure your WHR correctly, you should remove any bulky clothing that can add padding around your abdomen. According to the World Health Organization, a WHR greater than 1.0 is indicative of a higher than normal risk of developing heart disease. A healthy WHR for women is under 0.85 and a healthy WHR for men is 0.90 or less. Waist-to-Hip Ratio Example To get a better idea of how your WHR works, use this example of a woman named Sarah. If her waist measurement is 30 inches and her hip measurement is 38 inches, then her WHR is: 30 (waist measurement) / 38 (hip measurement) = 0.78 inches Sarah has a WHR that falls in the normal range. How Weight Gain Changes Your WHR If Sarah gains abdominal fat, her WHR will change. For example, if her waist measurement increases to 39 inches and her hip measurement increases to 38 inches, then her new WHR would be: 39 (waist measurement) / 38 (hip measurement) = 1.02 inches Sarah's weight gain has now put her in a higher risk category for conditions like heart disease. 8 Strategies That May Help You Slim Down Your Belly How Weight Loss Changes Your WHR But she can change her risk profile by losing weight. If she slims down— waist measurement is 32 inches and her hip measurement is 38 inches— watch how her WHR numbers change as well. 32 (waist measurement) / 38 (hip measurement) = 0.84 inches Even though Sarah's waist circumference is larger than when she started, she still brought her WHR closer to a healthy range with weight loss. How to Properly Take Body Measurements During Weight Loss A Word From Verywell Your waist size, your hip circumference, and WHR do not cause disease and they don't indicate that you necessarily will get heart disease or any other illness. The measurements are simply guidelines that medical professionals use to predict your possible risk of disease. You can use the numbers at home to motivate and inspire weight loss for healthy living. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Looking to lose weight? Our nutrition guide can help you get on the right track. Sign up for our newsletter and get it free! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Cao Q, Yu S, Xiong W, et al. Waist-hip ratio as a predictor of myocardial infarction risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(30):e11639. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000011639