WHR Calculator

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Female
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What is WHR

WHR stands for Waist-to-Hip Ratio. As the name suggests, it is a measurement that compares the circumference of your waist to that of your hips. This measurement is used by dieticians and health professionals to determine a person’s body fat distribution and overall health risks associated with carrying extra weight around the waist.

Benefits of knowing your WHR

As was already mentioned, the purpose of WHR is to assess the fat distribution around the body. It serves as a supplementary measurement to other body-measuring formulae, like the BMI. Despite having normal weight, fat distribution is still a significant factor that should be considered, when talking about the potential health risks associated with different body types.

Higher WHR values indicate more abdominal fat, which is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other health conditions. Monitoring WHR can help individuals and healthcare providers assess health risks in a more accurate and timely way.

How to Calculate WHR

Before you attempt to calculate the WHR value for your own body, you will need a tape measure. You should also decide on the unit of measurement you will use (usually centimeters or inches) and stick to it. It does not matter which unit of measurement you are using, as long as all of the values are in the same unit.

  1. Measure Your Waist: Use a tape measure to measure the circumference of your waist at the narrowest point between your ribs and hips.
  2. Measure Your Hips: Measure the circumference of your hips at the widest part of your buttocks.
  3. Calculate Your WHR: Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement, as seen in the formula below.
WHR = \tfrac{(WAIST~CIRCUMFERENCE)}{(HIP~CIRCUMFERENCE)}
  1. Interpret the result: Once you get your WHR value, compare it with the WHR scale below.

The WHR Scale

It is important to note, that WHR as a scale can only be considered alongside the specific gender of the person for whom we are seeking this value.

As the body types of people can change, depending on the gender, different values have different meanings.

The list below should serve as a guide for this interpretation.

For Men:

SourceExplanation
Low RiskWHR of 0.90 or less
Moderate RiskWHR between 0.90 and 1.0
High RiskWHR greater than 1.0

For Women:

SourceExplanation
Low RiskWHR of 0.85 or less
Moderate RiskWHR between 0.85 and 0.95
High RiskWHR greater than 0.95

Solved Example

Let’s look at the process of calculating and interpreting WHR manually, based on the sample problem below.

PROBLEM: Philip measured his waist and found it to be 32 inches in circumference. Afterwards, he measured his hip and it was 38 inches in circumference. What is Philip’s WHR, given that he is male?

  1. Identify the measurements: Waist: 32 inches. Hip: 38 inches.
  2. Plug the values into the formula and count the WHR:
WHR = \tfrac{(WAIST~CIRCUMFERENCE)}{(HIP~CIRCUMFERENCE)} = \tfrac{32}{38} = 0.842, rounded.
  1. Interpret the result: Philip has a WHR of 0.842. He is male, hence we interpret this result accordingly. For males, any result below 0.9 is considered low health risk. Since 0.842 is lower than 0.9, we determine that Philip has a WHR associated with low risk.

Using the WHR calculator

In order to use our calculator, you need to follow these steps:

StepDescription
1Choose your gender at the very top between MALE and FEMALE.
2Choose the input unit for the hip and waist. You can choose the same unit, or different units, and the calculator will convert them for you appropriately.
3Input the values for the hip and waist measurements.
4Click on CONVERT.
5The result will appear below the calculator. You will receive your WHR value, as well as the interpretation of the associated health risk, which will be highlighted in the table that will appear as well.

Courses of Action Based on WHR

WHRCourse of Action
HighFocus on abdominal fat reduction through diet and exercise. Consult with healthcare professionals for personalized advice on managing health risks associated with abdominal obesity.
LowMaintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent future risks. Monitor WHR periodically as part of routine health checks.