Waist-to-height
Waist-to-height ratio chart
Divide your waist by your height. The simple rule from UK guidance: keep your waist to less than half your height, a ratio under 0.5.
Waist-to-height ratio calculator
Example: a 32-inch waist and a height of 5 ft 6 in (66 in) gives 32 ÷ 66 = 0.48, healthy central adiposity.
Height in inches: 5 ft = 60 in, 6 ft = 72 in. Nothing is sent or saved.
The boundaries (NICE 2022)
| Waist-to-height ratio | NICE classification | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Under 0.4 | Below the healthy range | Not classified by NICE; can go with being underweight. Check your BMI. |
| 0.4 to 0.49 | Healthy central adiposity | No increased health risks |
| 0.5 to 0.59 | Increased central adiposity | Increased health risks |
| 0.6 or more | High central adiposity | Further increased health risks |
The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) added waist-to-height ratio to its obesity guidance in 2022. It applies to adults with a BMI under 35 of both sexes and all ethnicities, including people with high muscle mass, and to children and young people from age 5. The health risks linked to more fat around the middle include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. The NHS offers the same rule in its waist-to-height ratio tool.
Waist size by height
Find your height. The middle column is half your height: the waist size to stay under.
| Height | Waist at 0.4 | Keep waist (0.5) | Waist at 0.6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 10 in (147 cm) | 23.2 in | under 29.0 in | 34.8 in |
| 4 ft 11 in (150 cm) | 23.6 in | under 29.5 in | 35.4 in |
| 5 ft 0 in (152 cm) | 24.0 in | under 30.0 in | 36.0 in |
| 5 ft 1 in (155 cm) | 24.4 in | under 30.5 in | 36.6 in |
| 5 ft 2 in (157 cm) | 24.8 in | under 31.0 in | 37.2 in |
| 5 ft 3 in (160 cm) | 25.2 in | under 31.5 in | 37.8 in |
| 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) | 25.6 in | under 32.0 in | 38.4 in |
| 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) | 26.0 in | under 32.5 in | 39.0 in |
| 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | 26.4 in | under 33.0 in | 39.6 in |
| 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | 26.8 in | under 33.5 in | 40.2 in |
| 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | 27.2 in | under 34.0 in | 40.8 in |
| 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | 27.6 in | under 34.5 in | 41.4 in |
| 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | 28.0 in | under 35.0 in | 42.0 in |
| 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | 28.4 in | under 35.5 in | 42.6 in |
| 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | 28.8 in | under 36.0 in | 43.2 in |
| 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | 29.2 in | under 36.5 in | 43.8 in |
| 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | 29.6 in | under 37.0 in | 44.4 in |
| 6 ft 3 in (190 cm) | 30.0 in | under 37.5 in | 45.0 in |
| 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | 30.4 in | under 38.0 in | 45.6 in |
| 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | 30.8 in | under 38.5 in | 46.2 in |
| 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) | 31.2 in | under 39.0 in | 46.8 in |
| Height | Waist at 0.4 | Keep waist (0.5) | Waist at 0.6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 cm | 60 cm | under 75.0 cm | 90 cm |
| 155 cm | 62 cm | under 77.5 cm | 93 cm |
| 160 cm | 64 cm | under 80.0 cm | 96 cm |
| 165 cm | 66 cm | under 82.5 cm | 99 cm |
| 170 cm | 68 cm | under 85.0 cm | 102 cm |
| 175 cm | 70 cm | under 87.5 cm | 105 cm |
| 180 cm | 72 cm | under 90.0 cm | 108 cm |
| 185 cm | 74 cm | under 92.5 cm | 111 cm |
| 190 cm | 76 cm | under 95.0 cm | 114 cm |
| 195 cm | 78 cm | under 97.5 cm | 117 cm |
| 200 cm | 80 cm | under 100.0 cm | 120 cm |
How to measure your waist
- Stand up straight and breathe out normally.
- Find the bottom of your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone.
- Wrap a tape measure around your middle, halfway between the two. For many people this is near the belly button.
- Keep the tape snug but not pressing into the skin, and read it in the same unit as your height.
Waist-to-height ratio works well next to BMI: BMI says how your weight compares with your height, the ratio shows where the weight sits. See the BMI chart or, if you are over 65, the BMI chart for seniors.
Questions
What is a healthy waist-to-height ratio?
NICE classifies a waist-to-height ratio of 0.4 to 0.49 as healthy central adiposity, 0.5 to 0.59 as increased and 0.6 or more as high. In plain words: keep your waist to less than half your height.
How do I measure my waist?
Find the bottom of your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone. Measure around your middle halfway between the two, after breathing out normally, with the tape snug but not tight.
Is waist-to-height ratio better than BMI?
It measures something different. BMI compares weight with height; waist-to-height ratio shows how much fat is carried around the middle, which is linked to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. NICE recommends using it alongside BMI for adults with a BMI under 35.
Does the 0.5 rule work for men, women and all ethnicities?
NICE says the same boundaries can be used for adults of both sexes and all ethnicities, including people with high muscle mass, and for children from age 5.
Sources
- NICE guideline NG246, Overweight and obesity management: Identifying and assessing overweight, obesity and central adiposity (waist-to-height recommendations from 2022).
- NHS: Calculate your waist to height ratio.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-06. Checked against the sources listed on this page.
BMI is a screening estimate, not a diagnosis and not medical advice. It does not measure body fat directly. For health questions, talk to a doctor or nurse.