Ideal Waist to Hip Ratio
An ideal waist to hip ratio is anything that considered to be healthy.
For men, a ratio of .90 or less is considered to be healthy or safe. For women, a ratio of .80 or less is considered to be healthy or safe.
For both men and women, a waist-to-hip ratio of 1.0 or higher is considered "at risk" or in the danger zone for undesirable health consequences such as heart disease and stroke.
Do not cheat when measuring your waist and hip. You can do this without anyone else watching.
Measure
to see if you have an ideal waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)
To calculate your
WHR, measure your waist with a flexible tape measure. (If you
have a visible waist, measure around the narrowest part of your
abdomen. Otherwise, take the measure at the level of your navel.)
Record that number as your waist measurement. Then, measure around your
hips — the widest part of your lower body, at or below the level of
your pelvis. Record that number as your hip measurement. Now, take your
waist measurement and divide by your hip measurement. That is your WHR.
Example:
if
your waist circumference is 40", and your hip measurement is 34" then:
40
/ 34 = 1.18.
1.18 is greater than 1.0 so you are
"at risk"
Higher WHRs indicate a greater
proportion of weight carried as abdominal fat. If your measurements
fall into the “at risk” category (greater than 1.0), start eating well
and exercising to bring them down asap.
Ideal Waist to Height Ratio
I
found these two charts in a really good weight loss book,The
Amen Solution
:
Be
careful, this is not the waist to hip ratio but a similar measure of
health called the waist to height ratio. As an example I am
5'10" (70 inches) tall and have a waist of 32 inches; therefore my
waist to height to ratio is 32/70 = .457 or 45.7
percent. Or WHtR = 45.7 percent.
Waist
to Height Ratio for Women
(In
percentage; therefore, .45 equals 45 percent.)
Ratio
less than 35: abnormally slim to underweight
Ratio 35 to 41.9:
Extremely slim
Ratio 42 to 48.9: Healthy
Ratio 49 to
53.9: Overweight
Ratio 54 to 57.9: Seriously overweight
Ratio
over 58: Highly obese
Waist to Height Ratio
for
Men
Ratio less than 35:
abnormally slim to underweight
Ratio 35 to 42.9: Extremely slim
Ratio
43 to 52.9: Healthy
Ratio 53 to 57.9: Overweight
Ratio
58 to 62.9: Seriously overweight
Ratio over 63: Highly obese
| Ideal Waist to Height Chart for Men | |||||||||||
| Height | Too Thin | Extremely Thin | Healthy | Overweight | Seriously Overweight | Highly Obese | |||||
| FT IN | Inches | less than | low | high | low | high | low | high | low | high | Over |
| 4' 8" | 56 | 19.6 | 19.6 | 24.0 | 24.1 | 29.6 | 29.7 | 32.4 | 32.5 | 35.2 | 35.3 |
| 4' 9" | 57 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 24.5 | 24.5 | 30.2 | 30.2 | 33.0 | 33.1 | 35.9 | 35.9 |
| 4' 10" | 58 | 20.3 | 20.3 | 24.9 | 24.9 | 30.7 | 30.7 | 33.6 | 33.6 | 36.5 | 36.5 |
| 4' 11" | 59 | 20.7 | 20.7 | 25.3 | 25.4 | 31.2 | 31.3 | 34.2 | 34.2 | 37.1 | 37.2 |
| 5' | 60 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 25.7 | 25.8 | 31.7 | 31.8 | 34.7 | 34.8 | 37.7 | 37.8 |
| 5' 1" | 61 | 21.4 | 21.4 | 26.2 | 26.2 | 32.3 | 32.3 | 35.3 | 35.4 | 38.4 | 38.4 |
| 5' 2" | 62 | 21.7 | 21.7 | 26.6 | 26.7 | 32.8 | 32.9 | 35.9 | 36.0 | 39.0 | 39.1 |
| 5' 3" | 63 | 22.1 | 22.1 | 27.0 | 27.1 | 33.3 | 33.4 | 36.5 | 36.5 | 39.6 | 39.7 |
| 5' 4" | 64 | 22.4 | 22.4 | 27.5 | 27.5 | 33.9 | 33.9 | 37.1 | 37.1 | 40.3 | 40.3 |
| 5' 5" | 65 | 22.8 | 22.8 | 27.9 | 28.0 | 34.4 | 34.5 | 37.6 | 37.7 | 40.9 | 41.0 |
| 5' 6" | 66 | 23.1 | 23.1 | 28.3 | 28.4 | 34.9 | 35.0 | 38.2 | 38.3 | 41.5 | 41.6 |
| 5' 7" | 67 | 23.5 | 23.5 | 28.7 | 28.8 | 35.4 | 35.5 | 38.8 | 38.9 | 42.1 | 42.2 |
| 5' 8" | 68 | 23.8 | 23.8 | 29.2 | 29.2 | 36.0 | 36.0 | 39.4 | 39.4 | 42.8 | 42.8 |
| 5' 9" | 69 | 24.2 | 24.2 | 29.6 | 29.7 | 36.5 | 36.6 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 43.4 | 43.5 |
| 5' 10" | 70 | 24.5 | 24.5 | 30.0 | 30.1 | 37.0 | 37.1 | 40.5 | 40.6 | 44.0 | 44.1 |
| 5' 11" | 71 | 24.9 | 24.9 | 30.5 | 30.5 | 37.6 | 37.6 | 41.1 | 41.2 | 44.7 | 44.7 |
| 6' | 72 | 25.2 | 25.2 | 30.9 | 31.0 | 38.1 | 38.2 | 41.7 | 41.8 | 45.3 | 45.4 |
| 6' 1" | 73 | 25.6 | 25.6 | 31.3 | 31.4 | 38.6 | 38.7 | 42.3 | 42.3 | 45.9 | 46.0 |
| 6' 2" | 74 | 25.9 | 25.9 | 31.7 | 31.8 | 39.1 | 39.2 | 42.8 | 42.9 | 46.5 | 46.6 |
| 6' 3" | 75 | 26.3 | 26.3 | 32.2 | 32.3 | 39.7 | 39.8 | 43.4 | 43.5 | 47.2 | 47.3 |
| 6' 4" | 76 | 26.6 | 26.6 | 32.6 | 32.7 | 40.2 | 40.3 | 44.0 | 44.1 | 47.8 | 47.9 |
| 6' 5" | 77 | 27.0 | 27.0 | 33.0 | 33.1 | 40.7 | 40.8 | 44.6 | 44.7 | 48.4 | 48.5 |
| 6' 6" | 78 | 27.3 | 27.3 | 33.5 | 33.5 | 41.3 | 41.3 | 45.2 | 45.2 | 49.1 | 49.1 |
| 6' 7" | 79 | 27.7 | 27.7 | 33.9 | 34.0 | 41.8 | 41.9 | 45.7 | 45.8 | 49.7 | 49.8 |
| 6' 8" | 80 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 34.3 | 34.4 | 42.3 | 42.4 | 46.3 | 46.4 | 50.3 | 50.4 |
| 6' 9" | 81 | 28.4 | 28.4 | 34.7 | 34.8 | 42.8 | 42.9 | 46.9 | 47.0 | 50.9 | 51.0 |
| 6' 10" | 82 | 28.7 | 28.7 | 35.2 | 35.3 | 43.4 | 43.5 | 47.5 | 47.6 | 51.6 | 51.7 |
| Ideal Waist to Height Chart for Women | |||||||||||
| Height | Too Thin | Extremely Thin | Healthy | Overweight | Seriously Overweight | Highly Obese | |||||
| FT IN | Inches | less than | low | high | low | high | low | high | low | high | Over |
| 4' 8" | 56 | 19.6 | 19.6 | 23.5 | 23.5 | 27.4 | 27.4 | 30.2 | 30.2 | 32.4 | 32.5 |
| 4' 9" | 57 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 23.9 | 23.9 | 27.9 | 27.9 | 30.7 | 30.8 | 33.0 | 33.1 |
| 4' 10" | 58 | 20.3 | 20.3 | 24.3 | 24.4 | 28.4 | 28.4 | 31.3 | 31.3 | 33.6 | 33.6 |
| 4' 11" | 59 | 20.7 | 20.7 | 24.7 | 24.8 | 28.9 | 28.9 | 31.8 | 31.9 | 34.2 | 34.2 |
| 5' | 60 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 25.1 | 25.2 | 29.3 | 29.4 | 32.3 | 32.4 | 34.7 | 34.8 |
| 5' 1" | 61 | 21.4 | 21.4 | 25.6 | 25.6 | 29.8 | 29.9 | 32.9 | 32.9 | 35.3 | 35.4 |
| 5' 2" | 62 | 21.7 | 21.7 | 26.0 | 26.0 | 30.3 | 30.4 | 33.4 | 33.5 | 35.9 | 36.0 |
| 5' 3" | 63 | 22.1 | 22.1 | 26.4 | 26.5 | 30.8 | 30.9 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 36.5 | 36.5 |
| 5' 4" | 64 | 22.4 | 22.4 | 26.8 | 26.9 | 31.3 | 31.4 | 34.5 | 34.6 | 37.1 | 37.1 |
| 5' 5" | 65 | 22.8 | 22.8 | 27.2 | 27.3 | 31.8 | 31.9 | 35.0 | 35.1 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 5' 6" | 66 | 23.1 | 23.1 | 27.7 | 27.7 | 32.3 | 32.3 | 35.6 | 35.6 | 38.2 | 38.3 |
| 5' 7" | 67 | 23.5 | 23.5 | 28.1 | 28.1 | 32.8 | 32.8 | 36.1 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 38.9 |
| 5' 8" | 68 | 23.8 | 23.8 | 28.5 | 28.6 | 33.3 | 33.3 | 36.7 | 36.7 | 39.4 | 39.4 |
| 5' 9" | 69 | 24.2 | 24.2 | 28.9 | 29.0 | 33.7 | 33.8 | 37.2 | 37.3 | 40.0 | 40.0 |
| 5' 10" | 70 | 24.5 | 24.5 | 29.3 | 29.4 | 34.2 | 34.3 | 37.7 | 37.8 | 40.5 | 40.6 |
| 5' 11" | 71 | 24.9 | 24.9 | 29.7 | 29.8 | 34.7 | 34.8 | 38.3 | 38.3 | 41.1 | 41.2 |
| 6' | 72 | 25.2 | 25.2 | 30.2 | 30.2 | 35.2 | 35.3 | 38.8 | 38.9 | 41.7 | 41.8 |
| 6' 1" | 73 | 25.6 | 25.6 | 30.6 | 30.7 | 35.7 | 35.8 | 39.3 | 39.4 | 42.3 | 42.3 |
| 6' 2" | 74 | 25.9 | 25.9 | 31.0 | 31.1 | 36.2 | 36.3 | 39.9 | 40.0 | 42.8 | 42.9 |
| 6' 3" | 75 | 26.3 | 26.3 | 31.4 | 31.5 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 40.4 | 40.5 | 43.4 | 43.5 |
| 6' 4" | 76 | 26.6 | 26.6 | 31.8 | 31.9 | 37.2 | 37.2 | 41.0 | 41.0 | 44.0 | 44.1 |
| 6' 5" | 77 | 27.0 | 27.0 | 32.3 | 32.3 | 37.7 | 37.7 | 41.5 | 41.6 | 44.6 | 44.7 |
| 6' 6" | 78 | 27.3 | 27.3 | 32.7 | 32.8 | 38.1 | 38.2 | 42.0 | 42.1 | 45.2 | 45.2 |
| 6' 7" | 79 | 27.7 | 27.7 | 33.1 | 33.2 | 38.6 | 38.7 | 42.6 | 42.7 | 45.7 | 45.8 |
| 6' 8" | 80 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 33.5 | 33.6 | 39.1 | 39.2 | 43.1 | 43.2 | 46.3 | 46.4 |
| 6' 9" | 81 | 28.4 | 28.4 | 33.9 | 34.0 | 39.6 | 39.7 | 43.7 | 43.7 | 46.9 | 47.0 |
| 6' 10" | 82 | 28.7 | 28.7 | 34.4 | 34.4 | 40.1 | 40.2 | 44.2 | 44.3 | 47.5 | 47.6 |
More People use Ideal Waist to Hip Ratio than Ideal Waist to Height Ratio
Make sure when calculating waist to hip ratio that you divide the waist by the hip measurement. If you are still having problems, try this calculator:
ideal Waist to Hip Calculator
For some people exercise can be excruciating. I know that when I had Plantar Fasciitis I had to quit running for all summer, then I also had to stretch my calf muscles and give my body time to heal itself. Perhaps you need some Chronic pain management support.
Once the pain is gone then you can start exercising and getting into shape. Perhaps with exercise and diet, you will then be able to achieve your ideal waist to hip ratio.