Why the waist matters
Fat around the belly is more closely linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease than weight alone. That is why the UK's NICE guideline (2025) advises adults to keep their waist below half their height.
How it is judged
- Waist-to-height: 0.4–0.49 healthy, 0.5–0.59 increased risk, 0.6 or more high risk (NICE, for a BMI under 35).
- Waist by WHO: over 94 cm (37 in) for men and 80 cm (31.5 in) for women is increased risk; over 102 cm (40 in) and 88 cm (34.5 in) substantially increased.
- Waist-to-hip by WHO: 0.90 or more for men and 0.85 or more for women is substantially increased risk.
Example: at 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) with an 84 cm (33 in) waist the ratio is 0.48 — healthy; the limit is 87.5 cm (34.4 in).
Questions and answers
What is a healthy waist-to-height ratio?
0.4 to 0.49 by the NICE guideline — in plain terms, a waist under half your height.
What waist size is healthy?
By the WHO cut-offs, risk goes up above 94 cm (37 in) for men and 80 cm (31.5 in) for women.
Why does the waist matter more than weight?
Fat around the internal organs is more closely tied to diabetes and heart disease, and weight or BMI do not show it.
How it is calculated: sources
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Overweight and obesity management (NG246), 2025: identifying and assessing central adiposity.
- World Health Organization. Waist circumference and waist–hip ratio: report of a WHO expert consultation, Geneva, 8–11 December 2008. Geneva: WHO; 2011.
Gymvert gives general information for healthy adults. It is not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or are unsure, talk to a doctor before changing your training or diet.