Waist circumference calculator
The tape on its own, against the two thresholds everyone quotes, and what the report that prints them says about them.
The two thresholds, and where they came from
| Increased risk from | Substantially increased from | |
|---|---|---|
| Men | over 94 cm (37 in) | over 102 cm (40.2 in) |
| Women | over 80 cm (31.5 in) | over 88 cm (34.6 in) |
These are printed in the WHO's 2008 expert consultation report on waist circumference, which is why they are usually called the WHO thresholds. The same report says they were "an example only and not WHO recommendations". They come from a single study in the Netherlands, Han and colleagues in 1995, of 2,183 men and 2,698 women aged 20 to 59.
They are still the figures in wide use, and because there are two of them the calculator can say whether you are under the first, between them or over the second. Just know they describe Dutch adults of working age, and read them as a guide rather than a rule.
The IDF line for South Asian and Chinese adults
The International Diabetes Federation gives 90 cm for South Asian and Chinese men and 80 cm for the women (Alberti and colleagues, 2006). It is a single line, so with Asian cut points on, the calculator only says which side of it you are on. The IDF's own table calls these pragmatic cut points that better data will need to link to risk.
What the tape cannot see
Your height. A waist of 90 cm means something different at 160 cm than at 190 cm, and these lines treat both the same. The waist to height ratio corrects for that, which is why it is shown under your result. It is also the measure NICE recommends alongside BMI.
Common questions
What is a healthy waist size?
The figures quoted everywhere are over 94 cm for men and over 80 cm for women for increased risk, and over 102 cm and 88 cm for substantially increased risk. They are printed in a WHO report, which also says they are an example from one Dutch study and not WHO recommendations. They are the figures in wide use, so they are what this page uses.
Why are the Asian figures different?
The same waist carries more risk in some populations. The IDF gives 90 cm for South Asian and Chinese men and 80 cm for the women, as a single line where central obesity begins. It calls these pragmatic cut points and says better data is needed to link them to risk, so treat them as a guide.
Is waist size better than BMI?
It sees something BMI cannot: where the weight sits. It cannot see your height, though, so a tall person and a short person with the same waist get the same answer. That is why the waist to height ratio, which NICE recommends alongside BMI, is shown under the result as well.
Where exactly do I measure?
Halfway between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone, standing, after breathing out normally, with the tape snug but not pressing in. That is the WHO's measuring point and the one the published thresholds come from. The guide to measuring your waist shows it step by step.
Sources
Every figure above comes from one of these. Check them.
- World Health Organization (2011). Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio: report of a WHO expert consultation, Geneva, 8 to 11 December 2008
- Han TS, van Leer EM, Seidell JC, Lean ME (1995). Waist circumference action levels in the identification of cardiovascular risk factors: prevalence study in a random sample. BMJ 311(7017), 1401-1405
- Alberti KGMM, Zimmet P, Shaw J (2006). Metabolic syndrome: a new world-wide definition. A consensus statement from the International Diabetes Federation. Diabetic Medicine 23(5), 469-480
- NICE guideline NG246 (2025). Overweight and obesity management, including the waist to height ratio recommendation
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This is not medical advice. Body Numbers is a calculator. It does not diagnose, treat or monitor any condition, and no number it produces should replace a conversation with a doctor or a dietitian. If a result worries you, or if you are pregnant, unwell, or under eighteen, speak to a health professional.
