Body Type Calculator

Related Calculators

Primary body type result: Your main category. In Body shape mode, this is a shape label such as hourglass, rectangle, triangle, inverted triangle, or oval. In Somatotype mode, it is the dominant or mixed somatotype result.

Closest alternative type: The next most plausible category when your measurements are close to a rule boundary.

Borderline note: A plain-language note that tells you whether the result looks clear-cut or close enough that small measuring changes could switch it.

Waist-to-hip ratio: Waist circumference divided by hip circumference. It is a supporting proportion, not the main body shape label.

Bust-to-waist ratio: Bust or chest circumference divided by waist circumference. Higher values mean the upper body is larger relative to the waist.

Hip-to-waist ratio: Hip circumference divided by waist circumference. Higher values mean the lower body is larger relative to the waist.

Frame size: A separate size category based on height and wrist circumference [1]. It does not tell you your body shape.

Somatotype scores: Three numbers in endomorphy-mesomorphy-ectomorphy order. They describe relative fatness, musculoskeletal development, and linearity in the Heath-Carter system.

Proportion rule set: The shape rule set you want to compare against. It changes the interpretation chart, not your raw measurements.

Mistake: Mixing inches and centimeters after selecting "Measurement system."
Fix: Keep "Bust or chest circumference," "Waist circumference," "Hip circumference," and any Advanced options in the same unit system for that calculation.

Mistake: Measuring "Waist circumference" at the belly button when your natural waist is higher.
Fix: Measure "Waist circumference" at your natural waist while relaxed, then recalculate.

Mistake: Leaving "Hip circumference" as 0 or entering a negative value.
Fix: Enter a real positive "Hip circumference" measurement so "Waist-to-hip ratio" can be calculated correctly.

Mistake: Expecting "Frame size" to be the same thing as "Primary body type result."
Fix: Read "Frame size" as a separate wrist-and-height category, not as a replacement for body shape or somatotype.

Mistake: Choosing Somatotype mode without filling in "Height," "Weight," "Triceps skinfold," "Subscapular skinfold," "Supraspinale skinfold," "Medial calf skinfold," "Humerus breadth," "Femur breadth," "Flexed upper arm circumference," and "Calf circumference."
Fix: In Somatotype mode, complete every required advanced measurement before you calculate.

Mistake: Treating "Closest alternative type" as an error.
Fix: Use "Closest alternative type" together with "Borderline note" to understand when your measurements are near a cutoff and could reasonably fit a neighboring category.

• Body shape mode is descriptive. It compares proportions from "Bust or chest circumference," "Waist circumference," "Hip circumference," and optionally "Shoulder circumference." It does not diagnose health, fitness, or attractiveness.
• Shape categories depend on rule thresholds. If your measurements are close to a cutoff, a small measuring difference can change the label, which is why the calculator shows a closest alternative and borderline note.
• "Frame size" is a separate concept from body shape and somatotype. It is only shown when both "Height" and "Wrist circumference" are provided [1].
• Somatotype mode needs more technical measurements. Results can vary if skinfold, breadth, or girth sites are measured differently from the standard anthropometry method.
• When "Measurement system" is US, the calculator converts values internally using 2.54 cm per inch and 0.45359237 kg per pound before somatotype equations are applied.
• If "Shoulder circumference" is blank, shape classification uses bust or chest, waist, and hips only. If shoulders are provided and suggest a different upper-body dominance, they can change triangle versus inverted triangle interpretation.
• Somatotype scores are descriptive components, not destiny. Balanced scores can produce a mixed type rather than one pure label.

Body shape mode

The calculator first computes three supporting ratios from your entered circumferences.

WHR = waist / hips

BWR = bust_chest / waist

HWR = hips / waist

Then it applies a transparent rule set to compare upper body, waist, and lower body. The main thresholds are based on absolute differences and waist reduction from bust or hips. A practical version is used so beginners can understand why a label was assigned: hourglass when bust and hips are close and both clearly exceed waist, rectangle when bust and hips are close but waist is not much smaller, triangle when hips exceed bust or chest by a noticeable margin, inverted triangle when shoulders or bust or chest exceed hips by a noticeable margin, and oval when waist is the largest measurement or nearly so.

This calculator uses one internal descriptive threshold contract. For the female rule set: bust/hip closeness is 5%, hourglass waist drop is 25%, rectangle waist-drop maximum is 15%, triangle and inverted-triangle dominance are 8%, oval waist-near-maximum is 3%, and the borderline band is 2 percentage points. For the male rule set, the corresponding values are 5%, 18%, 12%, 8%, 8%, 3%, and 2 percentage points. These practical proportion rules are internal to this calculator; they are not universal or medical body-shape standards.

The calculator also ranks nearby categories. If your measurements sit near one of those thresholds, it shows a "Closest alternative type" plus a "Borderline note" instead of pretending the answer is perfectly certain.

Mini-example: If bust is 36, waist is 27, and hips are 37, then the ratios are:

WHR = 27 / 37 = 0.7297

BWR = 36 / 27 = 1.3333

HWR = 37 / 27 = 1.3704

Because bust and hips are close to each other and both are much larger than waist, that pattern fits an hourglass-style result.

Somatotype mode

Somatotype mode uses the Heath-Carter anthropometric method. All equations are calculated in centimeters, kilograms, and millimeters, so US entries are converted internally using 2.54 cm per inch and 0.45359237 kg per pound. The three outputs are endomorphy, mesomorphy, and ectomorphy.

CAG = flexed_arm_girth_cm - (triceps_skinfold_mm / 10)

CCG = calf_girth_cm - (medial_calf_skinfold_mm / 10)

X = (triceps_skinfold + subscapular_skinfold + supraspinale_skinfold) * (170.18 / height_cm)

Endo = -0.7182 + 0.1451*X - 0.00068*X^2 + 0.0000014*X^3

Meso = 0.858*humerus_breadth_cm + 0.601*femur_breadth_cm + 0.188*CAG + 0.161*CCG - 0.131*height_cm + 4.5

HWR = height_cm / cbrt(weight_kg)

If HWR >= 40.75, Ecto = 0.732*HWR - 28.58

Else if HWR > 38.25, Ecto = 0.463*HWR - 17.63

Else Ecto = 0.1

The displayed "Somatotype scores" are shown in endomorphy-mesomorphy-ectomorphy order. The "Primary body type result" is then summarized as the strongest component or a mixed label when the three values are fairly close.

Mini-example: If height is 170 cm and weight is 65 kg, then the height-weight ratio is about 42.4, so the ectomorphy equation uses the top branch and gives roughly 2.46 before rounding.

Frame size

If both "Height" and "Wrist circumference" are entered, the calculator also shows "Frame size" as an extra category based on wrist relative to height [1]. This result is kept separate so users do not confuse frame size with body shape or somatotype.

Assumptions used

The calculator rejects blank, zero, or negative required values and does not let hidden mode inputs affect the result. Body shape thresholds are practical classification rules rather than a universal medical standard, while somatotype depends on standardized anthropometry technique and can shift if measurements are taken at different sites.