Body Type Calculator
What is your body shape — and what does it mean for your health?
About Body Type Calculator
Body type classification uses the ratios between your bust, waist, and hip measurements to identify your fat distribution pattern. This calculator combines two methods: body shape classification (Apple, Pear, Hourglass, Rectangle, Inverted Triangle) and the WHO Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) — the most clinically validated circumference-based measure of abdominal obesity risk. Together they give a more complete picture of body composition health than weight or BMI alone.
Body Shape: Derived from bust / waist / hip proportions and ratios WHR: Waist circumference ÷ Hip circumference WHO Risk: WHR < 0.80 = Low · 0.80–0.85 = Moderate · > 0.85 = High
Source: WHO Expert Consultation on Waist Circumference and WHR (2008) · WHO Global Report on Diabetes (2016) · Ashwell M & Hsieh SD, Int J Obes (2005) · National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
The 5 Body Shape Profiles
Each shape reflects a distinct fat distribution pattern. Knowing yours helps you understand your metabolic risk profile and target the right lifestyle interventions — not just aesthetic goals.
Apple
Fat is concentrated around the abdomen and midsection. Waist is wider relative to hips and bust.
Highest cardiovascular and metabolic risk. Central (visceral) fat actively releases inflammatory compounds that raise blood pressure, impair insulin sensitivity, and elevate LDL cholesterol. WHO identifies abdominal obesity as a primary driver of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Priority focus: reduce waist circumference through sustained caloric deficit, cardiovascular exercise, and stress management (cortisol drives visceral fat storage).
Pear
Hips and thighs are wider than the bust, with a defined waist. Fat is stored peripherally in the lower body.
Significantly lower cardiovascular risk than apple shape. Peripheral (subcutaneous) fat in the hips and thighs is metabolically less active than visceral fat. WHR typically falls in the low-risk range.
Maintain a healthy waist circumference — even with this lower-risk distribution, gaining central fat over time shifts risk upward. Strength training supports long-term metabolic health.
Hourglass
Bust and hips are balanced with a well-defined, narrow waist. Fat is distributed symmetrically rather than centrally.
Generally the lowest risk profile in terms of fat distribution. Health outcomes depend primarily on total body fat percentage and lifestyle rather than shape alone.
Focus on maintaining healthy overall body fat percentage. This shape naturally limits central fat accumulation, but total fat mass still influences long-term metabolic health.
Rectangle
Bust, waist, and hips are close in measurement with minimal waist definition. An athletic, straight build.
Moderate and lifestyle-dependent. The absence of waist definition can occasionally mask gradual central fat accumulation. Monitor waist circumference alongside overall weight.
Track waist circumference periodically — not just total weight. Resistance training builds muscle that naturally increases waist-to-hip definition and supports a higher resting metabolism.
Inverted Triangle
Bust and shoulders are broader than hips, with less waist definition. Often correlates with higher upper-body muscle mass.
Generally lower metabolic risk, particularly when the broader upper body reflects muscle rather than fat. Total body fat percentage and cardiovascular fitness are the key health determinants.
Pair this calculator with a body fat percentage measurement. A broad upper body driven by lean muscle mass is a positive health indicator; a broad upper body driven by fat mass carries different implications.
Why Your Body Shape Result Matters
Body shape is a clinically validated proxy for fat distribution — and where fat is stored matters as much as how much fat you carry. WHO research consistently links central fat accumulation to the most serious preventable health conditions.
Cardiovascular Disease
Visceral fat (the central fat driving apple shape) releases cytokines that promote arterial inflammation, raise LDL cholesterol, and lower HDL — a direct pathway to heart attack and stroke. WHO identifies WHR as an independent cardiovascular risk marker beyond BMI.
Type 2 Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome
Central fat accumulation is the primary driver of insulin resistance — the root cause of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Even people with a normal BMI can carry dangerous levels of visceral fat if their waist-to-hip ratio is elevated.
Hormonal Disruption
Body fat distribution directly influences sex hormone levels. Excess central fat elevates oestrogen in men and disrupts the oestrogen-testosterone balance in women, affecting reproductive health, mood, and long-term disease risk.
How to Use This Result Most Effectively
Body shape classification is a useful screening tool, not a clinical diagnosis. Understanding how to apply it correctly gives you the most actionable health insight:
Use WHR alongside your shape — it is the clinically validated number
Body shape gives you a visual pattern; WHR is the measurable risk metric. WHO classifies WHR > 0.85 (women) and > 0.90 (men) as high cardiovascular risk. Always check your WHR value alongside your shape label for the most meaningful health signal.
Shape reflects distribution, not total fat — pair with body fat %
Two people with the same shape can have very different health outcomes depending on their total body fat percentage. A lean apple shape carries far less risk than an obese apple shape. Use this result alongside your body fat percentage for the complete picture.
Shape can change — lifestyle determines the direction
Genetics set a baseline for fat distribution, but lifestyle — diet, exercise, hormonal changes, and age — significantly influences where fat accumulates. Central fat is particularly responsive to sustained caloric deficits, cardiovascular training, and stress reduction.