Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator
Divide your waist by your height, in cm or inches, for the waist-to-height ratio against the NICE NG246 bands, plus waist-to-hip with a hip measurement. How it works
Use the Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator
About the Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator
Waist-to-height ratio is your waist divided by your height, in the same unit: 85 cm ÷ 175 cm = 0.49. NICE guideline NG246 calls 0.4 to 0.49 "healthy central adiposity", 0.5 to 0.59 increased and 0.6 or more high, for adults with a BMI under 35, and advises keeping your waist to less than half your height. NICE gives no band below 0.4, and the calculator says so instead of labelling it.
Waist at the NICE band edges by height (cm)
| Height | Ratio 0.4 | Ratio 0.5 (half your height) | Ratio 0.6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 cm | 60 cm | 75 cm | 90 cm |
| 155 cm | 62 cm | 77.5 cm | 93 cm |
| 160 cm | 64 cm | 80 cm | 96 cm |
| 165 cm | 66 cm | 82.5 cm | 99 cm |
| 170 cm | 68 cm | 85 cm | 102 cm |
| 175 cm | 70 cm | 87.5 cm | 105 cm |
| 180 cm | 72 cm | 90 cm | 108 cm |
| 185 cm | 74 cm | 92.5 cm | 111 cm |
| 190 cm | 76 cm | 95 cm | 114 cm |
A waist below the 0.5 column keeps the ratio under 0.5. The bands are from NICE NG246 and apply to adults with a BMI under 35.
Waist at the NICE band edges by height (inches)
| Height | Ratio 0.4 | Ratio 0.5 (half your height) | Ratio 0.6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 0 in | 24 in | 30 in | 36 in |
| 5 ft 2 in | 24.8 in | 31 in | 37.2 in |
| 5 ft 4 in | 25.6 in | 32 in | 38.4 in |
| 5 ft 6 in | 26.4 in | 33 in | 39.6 in |
| 5 ft 8 in | 27.2 in | 34 in | 40.8 in |
| 5 ft 10 in | 28 in | 35 in | 42 in |
| 6 ft 0 in | 28.8 in | 36 in | 43.2 in |
| 6 ft 2 in | 29.6 in | 37 in | 44.4 in |
| 6 ft 4 in | 30.4 in | 38 in | 45.6 in |
Waist circumference levels on their own
| Sex | WHO "increased" | WHO "substantially increased" and NCEP ATP III |
|---|---|---|
| Men | Above 94 cm | Above 102 cm |
| Women | Above 80 cm | Above 88 cm |
The WHO levels were set from studies of people of European origin. NCEP ATP III uses the higher pair (more than 102 cm or 40 in for men, more than 88 cm or 35 in for women) as its abdominal-obesity criterion.
Waist-to-hip ratio against the WHO (1999) cut-offs
| Waist and hip | Waist-to-hip ratio | Men: above 0.90? | Women: above 0.85? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 cm and 100 cm | 0.80 | No | No |
| 85 cm and 100 cm | 0.85 | No | No |
| 88 cm and 100 cm | 0.88 | No | Yes |
| 90 cm and 100 cm | 0.90 | No | Yes |
| 95 cm and 100 cm | 0.95 | Yes | Yes |
| 90 cm and 105 cm | 0.86 | No | Yes |
The ratio the page shows when you add a hip measurement. The cut-offs are the obesity criterion of the WHO’s 1999 metabolic-syndrome definition, as tabulated by Xu and colleagues (2021): a ratio of exactly 0.90 for a man or 0.85 for a woman is not above it. A screening threshold, not a diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a good waist-to-height ratio?
- NICE NG246 calls a ratio of 0.4 to 0.49 "healthy central adiposity, indicating no increased health risks" in adults with a BMI under 35. The calculator shows which band your ratio falls in and quotes NICE; it does not judge your health.
- How do I measure my waist for waist-to-height ratio?
- NICE says to measure at the midpoint between the lower rib and the top of the hip, after breathing out naturally, and to use the same unit for waist and height. A 1 cm error in the waist moves the ratio by about 0.006 for someone 175 cm tall.
- What waist size means a higher risk for men and women?
- The WHO action levels are above 94 cm ("increased") and above 102 cm ("substantially increased") for men, and above 80 cm and above 88 cm for women. The higher pair is also the NCEP ATP III abdominal-obesity criterion: more than 102 cm (40 in) for men and more than 88 cm (35 in) for women. With a hip measurement the page also gives the waist-to-hip ratio against the WHO’s 1999 cut-offs: above 0.90 for men and above 0.85 for women.
- Does waist-to-height ratio measure belly fat or visceral fat?
- No. It is a ratio of two tape-measure numbers. NICE uses it to assess central adiposity, but it does not measure body fat or visceral fat, and it cannot diagnose anything. Ask a doctor or nurse what a measurement means for you.
- How do I work out my waist-to-height ratio in inches?
- The same way: the units cancel. At 6 ft 2 in (74 in) with a 34 in waist the ratio is 34 ÷ 74 = 0.46. The calculator takes feet and inches for height and inches for the waist.
- Why does the calculator show 0.499 instead of 0.50?
- It bands the exact ratio, not a rounded one. 87.4 cm ÷ 175 cm is just below 0.5, so it is in the 0.4 to 0.49 band; showing it as 0.50 would suggest the next band, so a third decimal is shown.
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