Waist Circumference Calculator
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Belly fat raises the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes even at a normal BMI. The NIH uses a waist over 40 inches for men and over 35 inches for women as a sign of higher risk.
Type the problems from this lesson and check each step.
| Waist | 84 cm (33.07 in) |
| WHO category | increased risk |
| WHO thresholds (women) | increased ≥ 80 cm, substantial ≥ 88 cm |
| NIH high-risk threshold | 35 in (89 cm) |
| Waist-to-height ratio | 0.509 (0.5 or more: keep your waist under half your height) |
Show steps
- Measure at the top of the hip bones (NIH) or midway between the lowest rib and the hip bone (WHO), after breathing out, without pulling the tape tight.
- Compare with thresholds for your sex. Lower cutoffs are often used for people of Asian descent.
How to measure
- Stand up straight and breathe out normally.
- Place the tape just above the hip bones (NIH) or midway between the lowest rib and the hip bone (WHO).
- Keep it snug but not tight and level all the way around.
Thresholds
| Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|
| WHO increased risk | ≥ 94 cm (37 in) | ≥ 80 cm (31.5 in) |
| WHO substantially increased | ≥ 102 cm (40 in) | ≥ 88 cm (35 in) |
| NIH high risk | > 40 in | > 35 in |
Waist-to-height ratio
Keeping your waist under half your height (ratio under 0.5) is a simple target that works across heights.
Waist Circumference Calculator quiz: 10 questions
Test yourself with 10 multiple-choice questions. Choose an answer and press Submit to see if you are right and why. Your score appears at the end.
Quiz complete
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy waist size?
Under 35 in (88 cm) for women and 40 in (102 cm) for men by NIH and WHO higher-risk cutoffs; lower is generally better.
Where should I measure?
Just above the hip bones, after breathing out.
Is waist size better than BMI?
It complements BMI by showing where fat is stored.
Does it apply during pregnancy?
No.
How do I reduce waist size?
Overall fat loss through diet and activity; you cannot target belly fat with exercises alone.
Sources
- NIH NHLBI: Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk
- WHO (2008), Waist circumference and waist–hip ratio: report of a WHO expert consultation
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