Is your waist telling you more than your weight?
Check your BMI and your waist-to-height ratio against NHS healthy ranges, see where you sit on clear charts, and track both over time. Private, simple and free.
Free accountNo cardUnder a minute to join
See it in action
Two numbers, explained properly
Colour-banded scales show where you sit, with your healthy weight and waist range for your height.
Try it yourself →What you get
Everything in the BMI & waist calculator
BMI and waist-to-height together
BMI alone misses where weight is carried. Waist-to-height adds the bit that matters most for heart health.
NHS and NICE ranges
Including the lower BMI cut-offs NICE recommends for people from South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African and African-Caribbean family backgrounds.
Clear charts and a trend line
See where you sit for your height, and how things change over time.
Your healthy ranges
The healthy weight and waist range for your height, in plain numbers.
Metric or imperial
kg or stones and pounds, cm or feet and inches.
Private to your account
Only you can see your results.
How it works
Three steps, about two minutes
- 1
Enter your height, weight and waist
A tape measure is all you need for the waist part.
- 2
See where you sit
Colour-banded scales and charts against NHS ranges.
- 3
Track it over time
Save results and watch the trend on your dashboard.
Why you can trust it
Independent, evidence-based, on your side
- Thresholds from the NHS and NICE guidance
- Built by our nutrition team, with signposts to support if you need it
- For adults only; children need the NHS’s child BMI calculator
foodfacts.org is an independent non-profit that fact-checks food and nutrition claims. We take no advertising and no money from the food industry.
Try it free →Questions
What is a healthy waist-to-height ratio?
The NHS and NICE suggest keeping your waist to less than half your height, a ratio below 0.5. From 0.5 to 0.59 means an increased health risk, and 0.6 or more a high risk.
Is BMI accurate?
BMI is a quick screening tool, not a diagnosis. It can’t tell muscle from fat or show where fat is carried, which is why we show waist-to-height alongside it.
Why are BMI cut-offs different for some ethnic backgrounds?
NICE recommends lower BMI thresholds (23 and 27.5) for people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African and African-Caribbean family backgrounds, because health risks start at a lower BMI.
Is it free?
Yes, with a free foodfacts.org account. No card needed.
Can children use it?
No. It’s for adults. For children and teenagers, use the NHS healthy weight calculator, which allows for age and growth.
Free with the same account
More tools for members
Ready?
Is your waist telling you more than your weight? Find out in two minutes.
Create your free foodfacts.org account and you’ll go straight into the BMI & waist calculator.
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