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Waist-to-Hip Ratio & Posture Check

Where you carry fat matters as much as how much you carry. Check your ratios, then spend two minutes against a wall to see how you stand.

1 · Your ratios

Sex

MaleFemale

Waist

Midway between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone, after breathing out.

Hips

At the widest point of your buttocks.

Height (optional, for waist-to-height)

Enter your waist and hip measurements.

2 · Posture self-check

Stand with your heels, buttocks and shoulder blades against a wall. Then tick anything that's true for you.

The back of my head doesn't touch the wall comfortably. With arms relaxed, my palms face backward, or my shoulders roll forward. I can slide more than a flat hand between my lower back and the wall. In a mirror, one shoulder or hip sits visibly higher than the other. In a bodyweight squat, my knees cave inward.

Tick what applies to see simple fixes.

What the ratios mean

Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) shows whether you store more fat around your middle. Abdominal (visceral) fat is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The World Health Organization treats a WHR above 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women as a sign of substantially increased risk.

Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) is even simpler: keep your waist under half your height. The UK's NICE guidance (2022) uses 0.5–0.59 as increased risk and 0.6 or above as high risk.

About the posture check

These are quick screening signs, not a diagnosis. Small postural habits are common and often improve with a few minutes of targeted exercise a day. If you have pain, numbness or a sudden change, see a physiotherapist or doctor.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio & Posture Check

1 · Your ratios

2 · Posture self-check

What the ratios mean

About the posture check

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