Tools

Waist-to-height ratio

Fat around the middle matters more than the number on the scale. Your waist compared with your height is one of the simplest ways to check it.

Written by Poshan Labs. Sources are named on the page. Last updated 26 October 2026.

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What is a healthy waist-to-height ratio?

Keep your waist under half your height, a ratio under 0.5.

  • Measure your waist midway between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hips, just above the belly button, after breathing out naturally.
  • Divide by your height in the same unit.

A ratio of 0.5 or more is linked to higher risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Source: NICE, Overweight and obesity management (NG246).

How this works

Divide your waist by your height, both in centimetres. Measure your waist midway between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hips, just above the belly button, after breathing out naturally. A result of 0.5 or more means your waist is over half your height, which is linked to higher risk of diabetes and heart disease. NICE guideline NG246 gives this way of measuring and the same 'keep your waist to less than half your height' rule.

A number is a starting point, not a plan. On a free call, Puja looks at it with your reports and your routine.

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