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My health indicators

CALCULATOR · 2 MIN

A few measurements you can take at home (height, weight, waist, hips) are enough to calculate several indicators used in dietetic practice. Your measurements stay in your browser.

Method and scientific sources

This tool calculates classic anthropometric indicators from measurements you can take at home:

  • BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height (m)². WHO reference ranges for adults.
  • Waist circumference: IDF and WHO thresholds for adults of European origin (80 / 88 cm in women, 94 / 102 cm in men).
  • Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR): a simple marker, with the usual 0.50 then 0.60 thresholds.
  • Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR): WHO 2008 thresholds of 0.85 in women and 0.90 in men.
  • Estimated body fat: Deurenberg equation (1991) from BMI, age and sex; this is a statistical estimate, not a measurement.

BMI does not distinguish muscle from fat: in very muscular, very old or very short people it can be misleading. Distribution indicators (waist, WHtR, WHR) add complementary information. A body-composition measurement carried out at the practice remains more precise.

Sources: World Health Organization (WHO), International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Deurenberg et al. (British Journal of Nutrition, 1991).

How to take your measurements

  1. Weigh yourself in the morning, before eating, barefoot, on the same scale.
  2. Measure your height standing, heels together, back straight against a wall.
  3. Waist: tape measure midway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone, at the end of a breath out, without tightening.
  4. Hips: at the widest point of the buttocks, tape measure horizontal.
Sex used for the calculation

Between 18 and 100 years.

Between 130 and 230 cm.

Between 30 and 300 kg.

Between 50 and 200 cm.

Between 60 and 200 cm. Only needed for the waist-to-hip ratio.

To calculate, please complete: the adult confirmation ; your age ; your height ; your weight ; your waist measurement.

What this tool gives you

This tool brings together in a single table the anthropometric indicators that can be calculated from measurements taken at home: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, waist-to-hip ratio, estimated body fat and the reference weight range.

Each indicator is shown with its reference marker and a reading zone (reference, watch, worth discussing), so you understand what the measurement means beyond the single number on the scale.

Entered values stay in the browser: nothing is sent or stored. The tool is educational and provides no diagnosis.

Methodology and sources

Clinical methodology: BMI against WHO reference ranges, waist thresholds from the IDF and WHO for adults of European origin, waist-to-height ratio (0.50 and 0.60 thresholds), waist-to-hip ratio per WHO (2008) and body-fat estimation with the Deurenberg equation (1991). In consultation these markers are compared with a body-composition analysis and the medical context.

Frequently asked questions

Is BMI enough to assess my health?
No. BMI does not distinguish muscle from fat: distribution indicators and the medical context complete the picture.
Is the body-fat figure a measurement?
No, it is a statistical estimate from BMI, age and sex. A real measurement requires a body-composition analysis.
Is the tool suitable for children or during pregnancy?
No. Those situations require specific references and individual follow-up.

What's next?

These pointers are a starting point: the next steps are built with a professional, from your actual situation.

Related tool: Estimate your energy needs

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