Your waist-to-height ratio.
A simpler, research-backed alternative to BMI. The rule of thumb is easy: keep your waist under half your height. Enter two numbers to see where you land.
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Method & sources
Waist-to-height ratio = waist ÷ height (same unit, so it is a unitless number). The widely-used boundary is 0.5 - "keep your waist under half your height" - with bands of under 0.4 (low), 0.4 to under 0.5 (healthy), 0.5 to under 0.6 (increased central fat), and 0.6 or more (high). It reflects central (abdominal) fat, which tracks cardiometabolic risk more closely than BMI for many people, and the single 0.5 threshold works across heights and sexes.
- Ashwell M, Gibson S. A proposal for a primary screening tool: "Keep your waist circumference to less than half your height." BMC Medicine. 2014;12:207.
- Browning LM, Hsieh SD, Ashwell M. A systematic review of waist-to-height ratio as a screening tool. Nutr Res Rev. 2010;23(2):247–269.
- NICE (UK). Overweight and obesity management (NG246), 2025 - central adiposity / WHtR.
- Ashwell M, Hsieh SD. Six reasons why the waist-to-height ratio is a rapid and effective global indicator. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2005;56(5):303–307.
How waist-to-height compares to BMI.
BMI only looks at weight and height, so it can flag a muscular person as "overweight" and miss someone who carries excess fat around the middle. Waist-to-height ratio looks at central fat, which research links more closely to metabolic health - and it needs just two measurements.
The widely cited guideline is simple: keep your waist circumference to less than half your height. A ratio under 0.5 is the commonly referenced healthy range for adults; higher ratios suggest more central fat.
Measuring it right
The standard spot is the midpoint between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone (the navel is a common lay shortcut), with the tape snug but not compressing, after a normal breath out - not sucked in. Use the same unit for both numbers; the ratio itself is unitless, so inches or centimeters both work.
What this tool isn't
It's one simple screening number, not a health verdict and not a diagnosis. Many things affect health that a tape measure can't see. Use it as a rough check-in, not a judgment.