NICE waist-to-height ratio thresholds WHtR 0.5 screening boundary

Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator

Central adiposity estimate from waist size and height.

Use this free waist-to-height ratio calculator to compare your waist circumference with your height. It supports metric and imperial units and uses NICE central adiposity bands: healthy, increased, and high.

Units

Waist

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Height

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Measure your waist midway between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone, then divide by your height in the same unit.

Waist-to-Height Ratio —

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HealthyIncreasedHigh

NICE thresholds

0.4–0.49 healthy · 0.50–0.59 increased · ≥0.60 high. Aim to keep your waist less than half your height.

This calculator provides estimates based on published formulas and methodologies. Results are for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.

Understanding your result

Waist-to-height ratio, often shortened to WHtR, compares waist circumference with height. It is a simple way to estimate central adiposity, or how much body size is concentrated around the waist.

A ratio below 0.5 means your waist is less than half your height. NICE recommends explaining this as a practical target because higher central adiposity is associated with higher cardiometabolic risk.

This result is an educational screening estimate. It does not diagnose a condition and should be interpreted alongside broader health context and professional advice.

Methodology

WHtR is calculated by dividing waist circumference by height, with both measurements in the same unit. Metric and imperial inputs produce the same ratio once the units match.

NICE classifies waist-to-height ratio bands as 0.4–0.49 healthy central adiposity, 0.5–0.59 increased central adiposity, and 0.6 or more high central adiposity.

NICE recommends measuring waist midway between the bottom of the ribs and the top of the hips, breathing out naturally before taking the measurement.

The formula

Waist-to-height ratio is waist circumference divided by height.

WHtR = waist circumference ÷ height

Use the same unit for waist and height: centimetres with centimetres, or inches with inches.
NICE bands: 0.4–0.49 healthy · 0.5–0.59 increased · ≥0.6 high.

References

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate waist-to-height ratio?

Measure your waist and height in the same unit, then divide waist by height. For example, an 85 cm waist and 170 cm height gives a waist-to-height ratio of 0.50.

What is a healthy waist-to-height ratio?

Using NICE thresholds, 0.4 to 0.49 is classified as healthy central adiposity, 0.5 to 0.59 as increased, and 0.6 or more as high. NICE also gives the simple message to keep your waist less than half your height.

Is waist-to-height ratio better than BMI?

They measure different things. BMI compares weight with height, while waist-to-height ratio focuses on central adiposity. It can be a useful complement to BMI, especially because it directly includes waist size.

Do waist-to-height ratio thresholds depend on sex?

The NICE waist-to-height ratio bands used here are not sex-specific. They are based on the ratio between waist and height and can be used as a simple central adiposity screening estimate.

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