Where you carry weight matters.
Waist-to-hip ratio captures something BMI can't — fat distribution, the better predictor of cardiometabolic risk.
Waist-to-hip ratio
Waist ÷ hip
0.9
ratio
Low risk
Low risk
0.6–0.9
Moderate
0.9–1.0
High risk
1.0–1.3
Body shape
Rectangle
Waist risk · WHO
Normal
Men: >94 cm increased, >102 cm high.
Waist risk · APAC
Normal
Men: >90 cm
Good to know
Why waist-to-hip, not just BMI?+
WHR captures fat distribution — specifically, how much is around your organs (visceral). Two people with the same BMI can have very different cardiometabolic risk depending on where they carry fat.
What's a healthy ratio?+
Men: low risk <0.90, high risk ≥1.0. Women: low risk <0.80, high risk ≥0.85. Apple-shaped (abdominal fat) carries more risk than pear-shaped (hip/thigh fat).
How should I measure?+
Waist: narrowest point (usually just above the navel), after breathing out. Hip: widest point around the buttocks. Tape snug, not compressing skin. Don't hold your breath or suck in.
