Waist-hip ratio (WHR): what it is and how to calculate it

The waist-hip ratio (WHR) is the calculation that is made based on waist and hip measurements to check a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This happens because, the greater the concentration of abdominal fat, the greater the risk of having problems such as high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure or atherosclerosis.

The presence of these diseases together with excess fat in the abdominal region of the body also increases the risk of more serious health problems, such as heart attack, stroke and fatty liver, which can leave consequences or lead to death.

In the case of a high waist-to-hip ratio, it is important that the doctor is consulted so that tests can be carried out to check whether there is any disease and, thus, advise on ways to combat or prevent it.

How to calculate

To calculate the waist-hip ratio, you must use a measuring tape to assess:

• Waist Sizewhich must be measured in the narrowest part of the abdomen or in the region between the last rib and the navel;
• Hip Sizewhich should be measured at the widest part of the buttocks.

Then, you must divide the value obtained from the waist size by the hip size.

Example: A man’s waist measurement is 65 cm and his hips are 80 cm. To calculate the waist-hip ratio, the following operation must be performed: 65/80 = 0.8125. In other words, the index is 0.81, which is considered normal (the normal reference value for men is up to 0.95)

Waist-to-hip ratio calculator

Fill in your details and see your result for the Waist-Hip Ratio test:

In addition to this waist-to-hip ratio, calculating BMI is also a good way to assess the risk of having diseases related to being overweight. Calculate your BMI here.

How to understand the results

Waist-hip ratio results vary according to gender, and should be a maximum of 0.80 for women and 0.95 for men.

Results equal to or greater than these values ​​indicate a high risk for cardiovascular diseases, and it is important to remember that the higher the value, the greater the risk. In these cases, it is advisable to seek medical help to check if there are already health problems and go to a nutritionist to start a diet plan that allows you to lose weight and reduce the risk of diseases.

Waist-hip risk table

Waist-to-hip ratio results vary according to gender and represent a person’s risk of developing a health problem:

Furthermore, it is important to monitor weight loss and take new waist and hip measurements to assess the reduction in risk as treatment is followed appropriately.

What to do in case of high WHR?

If the waist-to-hip ratio is high, it is recommended that you consult a doctor to check if there is any health problem, and it is also recommended to consult a nutritionist to start a diet plan for weight loss and, thus, reduce the risk of diseases. .

Furthermore, it is important to monitor weight loss and take new waist and hip measurements periodically to assess the reduction in risk as the treatment is carried out correctly.