Waist-Height Ratio
Divide waist by height to get the waist-to-height ratio, a simple screen linked to cardiometabolic risk. A ratio at or above 0.5 is flagged as elevated here. This is a screening indicator only and not medical advice.
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Worked example
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Inputs
- Waist cm
90 - Height cm
178
Frequently asked
Why is 0.5 the cutoff?
The common rule of thumb is 'keep your waist under half your height'; at or above 0.5 the tool flags it as elevated.
Is this better than BMI?
It measures something different. BMI is mass against height and cannot tell where that mass sits; this ratio uses the waist, so it responds to central girth directly. It also needs no population table — the same 0.5 line applies whatever your height, because both numbers are lengths and the units cancel. Neither figure diagnoses anything, and which is more useful for any one person is a question for someone who has examined them.