Calculating Your Waist Circumference (2024)

FAQs

How do you calculate waist circumference? ›

Stand and place a tape measure around your middle, just above your hipbones. Make sure tape is horizontal around the waist. Keep the tape snug around the waist, but not compressing the skin. Measure your waist just after you breathe out.

A healthy measurement for a man is less than 37 inches (94 cm) or less than 31.5 inches (80 cm) if you are a woman. A measurement that is higher than the number indicated for your sex may predispose you to serious medical problems, such as heart disease and stroke.

The updated NICE guideline says "When talking to a person about their waist-to-height ratio, explain that they should try and keep their waist to half their height (so a waist-to height ratio of under 0.5)".

Waist Circumference

If most of your fat is around your waist rather than at your hips, you're at a higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This risk goes up with a waist size that is greater than 35 inches for women or greater than 40 inches for men.

But because height plays a role, too, some medical experts use waist-to-height ratio as a better gauge of abdominal fat. In general, keep waist circumference to less than half your height. For example, for a 6-foot man (72 inches), a healthy waist size would be anything less than 36 inches.

This measurement is important to know as it indicates your level of abdominal fat which is significant to your health especially your heart's health. A woman's health is at risk if her waist circumference is 32 inches or more. A measurement of 35 or more puts you at high risk for a heart attack or stroke.

Men and women should keep their waist circumference, no more than half their height. A ratio of 0.5 or lower is often considered healthy, indicating that your waist circumference is less than half your height.

Female*: more than 80 cm (31.5 inches) is increased risk; more than 88 cm (35 inches) is substantially increased risk. *Other risk factors such as ethnicity, individual risk factors, pregnancy, medical history and family history can affect your risk, regardless of your waist circumference.

Relaxed Fit conversely prioritises a looser and more generous cut, providing a loose fit from the waist all the way to the ankle, particularly around the hips and thighs.

What is a small waist size for a woman? ›

Men with a waist circumference higher than 40 inches (101.6 cm) and non-pregnant women with a waist circumference higher than 35 inches (88.9 cm) have an increased risk of developing long-term conditions including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

The WHO advise that a healthy WHR is: 0.85 or less for women. 0.9 or less for men.

The proven strategies to reduce waist size are eating healthy and regular physical activity. Aerobic exercise burns overall calories and helps you reduce total body fat, especially if you make changes in your diet at the same time.

The specific proportions of 36–24–36 inches (90-60-90 centimeters) have frequently been given as the "hourglass" proportions for women since at least the 1960s (these measurements are, for example, the title of a hit instrumental by The Shadows).

The waist circumference is used to estimate central obesity. A waist circumference >102 cm in men and >88 cm in women classifies abdominal obesity by the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. The regional distribution of fat can be estimated by the ratio of waist circumference to hip circumference (WHR).

It is a simple but useful measure of fat distribution. The Waist Hip Ratio is calculated by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement, since the hips are the widest part of your buttocks. The formula is: WHR= waist circumference / hip circumference.

Body mass index (BMI) is not considered a valid criterion, because it does not reflect body fat distribution. Compared with BMI, measuring waist circumference (WC) is simple and inexpensive, yet effective for assessing body fat distribution and associated cardiovascular risk and mortality.