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.

A woman measuring her waist to hip ratio with tape measure.



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.