Use this free body shape calculator to find your body type from three simple measurements. A quick, easy body type calculator covering Hourglass, Pear, Apple, Rectangle and Inverted Triangle — instant results, no sign-up needed.
⏳ Hourglass Balanced
🍐 Pear Hips wider
🍎 Apple Waist widest
▭ Rectangle Straight
📅 Last Updated: August 2026📐 Proportion-Based✅ Medically Reviewed🆓 Free · No Sign-Up
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Written byBMI Calculator NHS Editorial TeamHealth writers specialising in NHS BMI guidance and body measurement tools for UK adults
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Medically ReviewedNHS-Aligned Health Review PanelReviewed against published body shape classification methods · August 2026
What Is a Body Shape Calculator?
A body shape calculator classifies your body proportions into a general shape category, based on three simple measurements: your bust or chest, your waist, and your hips. This body type calculator compares how these three measurements relate to each other and assigns you one of five widely used shape categories — Hourglass, Pear, Apple, Rectangle, or Inverted Triangle.
It's worth being clear from the outset about what this tool is, and what it isn't. Body shape, as calculated here, describes proportions — it's the same kind of classification used in style guides and clothing fit advice. It is not a clinical health assessment. If you're specifically interested in how fat distribution relates to health risk, our waist to hip ratio calculator and waist to height ratio calculator use WHO and NHS-aligned thresholds designed specifically for that purpose.
For your overall weight classification, use the main BMI Calculator NHS. To see body shape represented visually, try our BMI visualizer.
📋 Key Takeaways
✅Body shape = a proportion-based classification from bust/chest, waist and hip measurements
📐Five common categories: Hourglass, Pear, Apple, Rectangle, Inverted Triangle
👗Primarily used for style, fit and general body awareness — not a clinical measure
❤️For health-related fat distribution risk, use WHR or WHtR instead
🔄Body shape can change over time with weight, muscle, age and hormonal changes
How to Use the Body Shape Calculator
Choose metric (cm) or imperial (in) using the unit toggle.
Measure your bust or chest at its fullest point.
Measure your waist at its narrowest point.
Measure your hips at their widest point.
Select Find My Body Shape to see your result instantly, with no page reload.
How Body Shape Is Calculated
This body shape calculator compares your three measurements using two simple relationships:
Bust-to-hip balance: how close your bust/chest and hip measurements are to each other Waist definition: how much smaller your waist is compared with the larger of your bust/chest or hips
Based on these two relationships, the calculator assigns your closest matching shape category from the five options below.
The Five Body Shape Categories
Shape
Typical Proportions
⏳ Hourglass
Bust/chest and hips are similar; waist is notably smaller than both
🍐 Pear / Triangle
Hips are noticeably wider than bust/chest
🍎 Apple / Round
Waist is the widest of the three measurements
▭ Rectangle / Straight
Bust/chest, waist and hips are all fairly similar
🔺 Inverted Triangle
Bust/chest is noticeably wider than hips
Worked Example
Take someone with a bust/chest of 95 cm, a waist of 70 cm, and hips of 96 cm. Bust and hips are very close (95 vs 96 cm), and the waist is 25 cm smaller than the hips — a difference of roughly 26%. This combination — balanced bust/hips with a clearly smaller waist — matches the Hourglass category.
Now compare someone with a bust/chest of 90 cm, a waist of 70 cm, and hips of 100 cm. Here the hips are 10 cm wider than the bust — over a 10% difference — which shifts the classification to Pear/Triangle, even with a similarly defined waist.
Interpreting Your Body Shape Result
Hourglass: balanced bust/chest and hips with a clearly defined waist.
Pear/Triangle: hips are the widest point — common and entirely normal body proportion.
Apple/Round: waist is the widest point — for health-related fat distribution context specifically, see our waist to hip ratio calculator.
Rectangle/Straight: bust/chest, waist and hips are all fairly similar in size.
Inverted Triangle: bust/chest is the widest point — common in athletic builds and some men's proportions.
Common Mistakes When Using a Body Shape Calculator
Measuring over bulky clothing: measure directly over light clothing or skin for an accurate result.
Measuring the waist at the belly button rather than the narrowest point: these can differ, particularly for some body shapes.
Treating body shape as a health measure: it describes proportions, not fat-distribution health risk — that's what WHR and WHtR are for.
Expecting a perfect fit to one category: many people sit close to a boundary between two shapes, and that's completely normal.
Assuming body shape is permanent: it can shift with weight, muscle, age and hormonal changes.
Benefits and Limitations of Body Shape Classification
Benefits
Quick to calculate from three simple measurements
Useful for understanding general body proportions and clothing fit
Consider two people of very similar overall weight and BMI. The first has a bust/chest of 88 cm, waist of 80 cm, and hips of 90 cm — a Rectangle shape, since all three measurements are fairly close. The second has a bust/chest of 90 cm, waist of 68 cm, and hips of 98 cm — an Hourglass shape, with a much more defined waist relative to bust and hips.
Despite comparable weight, their proportions — and therefore their body shape classification — are quite different. This illustrates why body shape is a separate concept from weight or BMI: it's about where your measurements sit relative to each other, not your total size.
Expert Tips
Re-measure every few months if you're tracking changes — body shape can shift gradually
Use body shape for style and fit decisions, not health assessment
General body shape classification conventions widely used in style and fit guidance
⚠️ Disclaimer: This body shape calculator is for informational and general interest purposes only. It classifies body proportions using a general, non-clinical method and does not constitute medical advice or a health assessment. BMI Calculator NHS is not affiliated with NHS England, NICE, or any government body. For health-related fat distribution risk, use our waist to hip ratio calculator or waist to height ratio calculator, and always consult your GP for personalised health assessment. See our full Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.
Frequently Asked Questions — Body Shape Calculator
A body shape calculator classifies your body proportions into a general shape category — such as Hourglass, Pear, Apple, Rectangle or Inverted Triangle — based on your bust or chest, waist, and hip measurements. It is a proportion-based classification, commonly used for style and wardrobe purposes, not a clinical health assessment.
The five most commonly used body shape types are Hourglass (bust and hips balanced, waist notably smaller), Pear or Triangle (hips wider than bust), Apple or Round (waist is the widest measurement), Rectangle (bust, waist and hips are similar), and Inverted Triangle (bust wider than hips).
Body shape is calculated by comparing your bust or chest, waist and hip measurements. The calculator looks at how close your bust and hip measurements are to each other, and how much smaller your waist is compared with the larger of the two, to assign one of five general shape categories.
No. Body shape categories used here describe general body proportions, often used for style and clothing purposes. Health-related fat distribution risk is better assessed using tools such as waist-to-hip ratio or waist-to-height ratio, which use WHO and NHS-aligned thresholds specifically linked to cardiometabolic risk.
Yes. Body shape can change with weight fluctuations, ageing, hormonal changes, pregnancy, and changes in muscle mass. It is not a fixed, permanent classification, and rechecking your measurements periodically may show a different result than in the past.
Yes. The same measurement-based logic — comparing chest, waist and hip proportions — applies to men, though the terminology sometimes differs slightly, with "chest" used instead of "bust". The resulting shape categories, such as Rectangle, Apple or Inverted Triangle, are described in the same way.
Body shape categories on this page describe proportions rather than direct health risk. That said, research does associate more centrally distributed fat — often described as an "apple" shape — with higher cardiometabolic risk than fat distributed around the hips. For a health-focused assessment, use our waist-to-hip ratio calculator.
A body shape calculator gives a reasonable general classification based on three measurements, but real bodies often sit between categories, and results can shift with small measurement differences. It is best treated as a general guide rather than a precise or fixed label.
Conclusion: Understanding Your Body Shape
Your body shape is a simple, proportion-based way of understanding how your bust/chest, waist and hip measurements relate to each other. The free body shape calculator above gives you an instant classification into one of five widely recognised categories — useful for style, fit, and general body awareness.
Remember that body shape describes proportions, not health. If you're interested in how your body's fat distribution relates to cardiometabolic risk, our waist to hip ratio calculator and waist to height ratio calculator are the right tools for that. For your overall weight classification, use the main BMI Calculator NHS.
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