Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) Test: Protocol and Cardiovascular Risk Values

Not everyone with "the same weight" or "the same body fat %" has the same health risk. Where that fat is stored matters, a lot. The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is one of the simplest and most well-studied markers for assessing exactly that: body fat distribution.

What does this test measure?

The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is the ratio between waist circumference and hip circumference. A high value indicates a predominance of abdominal (visceral) fat, associated with greater cardiovascular and metabolic risk, compared to a pattern of fat accumulation around the hips/thighs (subcutaneous fat, generally less metabolically problematic).

Equipment needed

• Flexible, non-elastic tape measure

Execution protocol

1. The subject stands relaxed, with minimal clothing in the area to be measured
2. Waist circumference: measure at the midpoint between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone (roughly at navel height, but rely on bony landmarks, not the navel itself)
3. Hip circumference: measure at the point of maximum circumference around the glutes
4. In both cases, the tape should wrap horizontally around the body without compressing the skin
5. Take the measurement at the end of a normal exhale (not while inhaling or "sucking in" the stomach)
6. Calculate: WHR = waist circumference / hip circumference

Common mistakes

• Measuring the waist at navel level in people with a prominent abdomen, instead of using the correct bony landmark
• Pulling the tape too tight (compresses tissue and skews the data)
• Measuring over thick clothing
• Not keeping the tape horizontal all the way around (especially across the back)

How to interpret the result

WHR	Men	Women	Cardiovascular risk
Low	< 0.90	< 0.80	Low
Moderate	0.90 - 0.99	0.80 - 0.84	Moderate
High	≥ 1.00	≥ 0.85	High

Reference values according to the WHO for estimating cardiovascular risk associated with abdominal fat distribution.

Relationship to other tests

WHR is best interpreted alongside:

• Body circumference test — WHR is actually a specific case of circumference tracking
• BMI test — combining them gives a fuller picture: BMI shows "how much," WHR shows "where"

A health metric worth tracking on its own

WHR doesn't usually change overnight, but it's one of the markers that best predicts real improvements in metabolic health over the medium term, especially during abdominal fat loss. With Movalytics you can record waist and hip circumferences at every assessment, and the app automatically calculates the WHR and its progression, helping you show your client how their risk profile is improving beyond what the scale says.

Frequently asked questions

Is WHR better than BMI for assessing health risk? For cardiovascular and metabolic risk specifically, WHR (and waist circumference alone) tend to be better predictors than BMI, because they reflect where fat accumulates, not just how much there is overall. Why is the waist measured above the navel rather than at navel level? Because the correct anatomical landmark (midpoint between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone) is more reproducible across evaluators and time points, while the navel can shift depending on posture or abdominal fat. How often should WHR be measured? Every 4-8 weeks is reasonable, since changes in fat distribution are gradual and take time to show up in circumference measurements.