Waist Circumference Risk Calculator
WHO and the IDF draw two lines through waist circumference for each sex — 94 cm and 102 cm for men, 80 cm and 88 cm for women. Crossing the first puts you in the increased-risk band, and crossing the second in the substantially-increased-risk band. A man at 92 cm is still under the first line with 2 cm to spare. Two other tools work on the same measurement: whtr divides waist by height and watches the 0.5 mark, and whr compares waist to hip to see where fat sits. This is the only one that reads the raw centimetres without dividing by anything.
Your numbers
Result
0
Threshold that applies
94cm
Gap to the cut-off
2cm
What it means
A waist of 92 cm sits under the 94 cm line, with 2 cm of room.
Formula
Result = band(Waist (cm)) — Sex (M1 / F0) = 1 → 94 / 102, 0 → 80 / 88
These lines came from European data. The IDF sets a separate 90 cm value for men of South Asian, Chinese and Japanese origin, so the line moves 4 cm depending on the population. Measure midway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone, at the end of a normal breath out, with the tape snug but not pressing into the skin. What the number means for your body is settled in a consultation.
What to enter
| Input | Default | Accepted range |
|---|---|---|
| Waist (cm) (cm)Waist at navel height, measured after breathing out. | 92 | 0 ~ 200 |
| Sex (M1 / F0)Where the formula splits by sex — enter 1 for male, 0 for female. | 1 | 0 ~ 1 |
Step by step
Quick reference table
Results when only Waist (cm) (cm) changes and everything else stays put.
| Waist (cm) (cm) | Result | Threshold that applies (cm) | Gap to the cut-off (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | 0 | 94 | 48 |
| 69 | 0 | 94 | 25 |
| 92 | 0 | 94 | 2 |
| 138 | 2 | 102 | 36 |
| 184 | 2 | 102 | 82 |
What each result means
| Result | At default values |
|---|---|
| ResultWhat the formula gives back — the answer this page is for. | 0 |
| Threshold that applies (cm)The next sex-specific line your measurement runs into. | 94 |
| Gap to the cut-off (cm)How far you sit from that line; the verdict says which side you are on. | 2 |
Common mistakes
These lines came from European data. The IDF sets a separate 90 cm value for men of South Asian, Chinese and Japanese origin, so the line moves 4 cm depending on the population. Measure midway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone, at the end of a normal breath out, with the tape snug but not pressing into the skin. What the number means for your body is settled in a consultation.
Glossary
- Waist (cm)
- Waist at navel height, measured after breathing out.
- Sex (M1 / F0)
- Where the formula splits by sex — enter 1 for male, 0 for female.
- Result
- What the formula gives back — the answer this page is for.
- Threshold that applies
- The next sex-specific line your measurement runs into.
- Gap to the cut-off
- How far you sit from that line; the verdict says which side you are on.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How is Waist Circumference Risk Calculator calculated?
Result = band(Waist (cm)) — Sex (M1 / F0) = 1 → 94 / 102, 0 → 80 / 88 — WHO and the IDF draw two lines through waist circumference for each sex — 94 cm and 102 cm for men, 80 cm and 88 cm for women. Crossing the first puts you in the increased-risk band, and crossing the second in the substantially-increased-risk band. A man at 92 cm is still under the first line with 2 cm to spare. Two other tools work on the same measurement: whtr divides waist by height and watches the 0.5 mark, and whr compares waist to hip to see where fat sits. This is the only one that reads the raw centimetres without dividing by anything.
Q. Can you walk through an example?
With Waist (cm) 92cm, Sex (M1 / F0) 1, the answer is Result 0.
Q. What do I need to enter?
Enter Waist (cm), Sex (M1 / F0). The result recalculates as you type, and an empty box counts as zero.
Q. How much does the answer move if I change a number?
Changing only Waist (cm) (cm) moves the answer to Waist (cm) (cm) 46 → Result 0 and Waist (cm) (cm) 184 → Result 2. The table below lays out five steps.
Q. How are the numbers rounded?
Money is shown to the nearest whole unit, percentages to one decimal place and everything else to two. What you see is rounded; the calculation itself carries the unrounded value forward.
Q. Anything to watch out for?
These lines came from European data. The IDF sets a separate 90 cm value for men of South Asian, Chinese and Japanese origin, so the line moves 4 cm depending on the population. Measure midway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone, at the end of a normal breath out, with the tape snug but not pressing into the skin. What the number means for your body is settled in a consultation.
Related calculators
These calculators help you understand health figures; they do not replace diagnosis or prescription. See a clinician if you have symptoms.