Waist-to-Height Ratio is the calculated by dividing a person’s waist measurement by their height. Waist is measured at the narrowest point of one’s midsection between their bottom rib and the top of their hipbone. This is usually one inch above the navel.

Fat around the waist has been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The World Health Organization has established WHtR values that for increased risk and substantially increased risk of heart disease.

As a rule of thumb, 50% is considered the general healthy cutoff.

Some studies indicate that WHtR may be a better indicator of cardiovascular risk than BMI for youth, but more research is needed and other research indicates that BMI may be a better indicator of other risks such as diabetes.

While there are no established minimum WHtR values to indicate that a person is underweight, here are some interesting WHtR values to provide perspective.