Waist-to-height ratio calculator
A simple belly fat measure for men and women alike, recommended by the UK NICE guideline alongside BMI.
Loading the tool…
Processing and privacy: The result is calculated inside your browser and your data is not sent to any server.
How to use it
- Enter waist and height.
- The result appears straight away and updates as you edit.
- Copy the result, or copy a link that keeps the same values to share it.
How it is calculated
Ratio = waist ÷ height, same unit. NICE bands: 0.4 to 0.49 healthy, 0.5 to 0.59 increased, 0.6 or more high.
Example
Inputs: Waist = 85 cm, Height = 175 cm. Result: Waist-to-height ratio: 0.49; NICE band: Healthy; Largest waist for 0.5: 87.5 cm.
Limits and caveats
- The bands are for adults, from the 2022 NICE guideline.
- Measure the waist midway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone after a normal breath out.
Questions about this tool
What is a healthy waist-to-height ratio?
Under 0.5, meaning your waist is less than half your height.
Is it different for men and women?
No. The same 0.5 limit applies to both, which is one of its strengths.
Is it better than BMI?
It picks up belly fat that BMI misses, so NICE advises using it together with BMI, not instead.