Body composition

Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator

A simple ratio that outperforms BMI for predicting cardiometabolic risk. Keep your waist circumference under half your height.

Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) divides your waist circumference by your height in the same units. A value under 0.5 indicates a lower cardiometabolic risk profile across age, sex, and ethnicity. Above 0.6 indicates substantially elevated risk.

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Your daily target

· cal/day

Enter your details and click Calculate

  • BMR · cal/day at rest
  • BMI ·  
  • Lean body mass · kg

Pick your goal

Macros at maintenance

30% protein · 40% carbs · 30% fat

Advanced metrics

Numbers are estimates. Eat at your target for 2 to 3 weeks, track weight, and adjust by ±100 cal/day if it does not match your real maintenance. See how accurate is TDEE?

Show advanced metrics 12 metrics · 7 formulas · 2D macro selector · life-stage

All metrics

Calculate above to populate the full metric table.

All 7 BMR formulas (side-by-side)

Mifflin–St Jeor · Harris–Benedict (revised) · Katch–McArdle · Cunningham · Average · Simple multiplier · Custom

TDEE across activity levels

See how much your TDEE changes between sedentary and athlete. Highlighted bar is your current selection.

Macros: 2D selector

Goal × carb-split matrix: Cut / Maintain / Bulk × Low / Moderate / High carb.

Life-stage adjustments

Luteal phase · Pregnancy (T1/T2/T3) · Breastfeeding · Perimenopause · PCOS

What the number means

  • Under 0.40, slim, possibly underweight
  • 0.40–0.49, healthy range
  • 0.50–0.59, overweight, elevated risk
  • 0.60+, high risk; significant lifestyle change recommended

To measure: relaxed waist at the level of your belly button, exhale gently. The ratio is height-independent, works across height, age, and sex without correction.

Frequently asked questions

Why is waist-to-height ratio better than BMI?
BMI cannot distinguish abdominal fat (the metabolically harmful kind) from peripheral fat or muscle. Waist circumference directly measures abdominal adiposity, which is the primary driver of cardiometabolic risk.
How do I measure my waist correctly?
Wrap a flexible tape around your waist at the level of your belly button, parallel to the floor. Stand relaxed, exhale normally, and don't suck in. Take the measurement at the end of a normal exhale.
Does the same threshold apply to all populations?
The 0.5 threshold is remarkably consistent across age, sex, and ethnicity according to multiple meta-analyses. It's one of the strongest universal health metrics available with a tape measure.