Waist Measurement Chart

Doctors and dietitians use body mass index (BMI) and waist measurement to assess a person's risk of developing certain diseases, for instance, diabetes and heart disease. Today, 66 % of adults in the United States are considered overweight or obese. Are you sure you are not among them? You should calculate your BMI and measure your waist to know whether you are overweight. If your BMI is greater than 25, you are overweight. BMI equal to or greater than 30 indicates obesity. Take a look at the instructions about how to measure waist.

How to Measure Waist
To measure your waist circumference:

1. Stand straight and keep your heels together.
2. Stand straight and bend to your side. The bend is your natural waist.
3. Hold a measuring tape around your bare abdomen, around your waist, just above your hipbone.
4. The tape should be close to the abdomen (but should not exert pressure on your skin).
5. The tape should be parallel to the floor.
6. Keep your thumb behind the tape and do not pull it tight.
7. Stand relaxed, exhale and measure your waist.

Normal Waist Measurement
According to some studies, women with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches; or men with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches may have higher chances of diseases than people with smaller waist measurements. A normal waist measurement for a woman is 32 inches or less and for a man, normal waist measurement is 38 inches or less. The ideal waist measurement varies mainly according to the age, height and race.

Ideal Waist Measurement for Women
Carrying fat mainly around your waist increases your risk of developing health problems. Fat around waist is more risky than fat in your hips and thighs. Even if your BMI falls within the normal range, fat around waist takes you towards the danger zone. The following chart will explain the ideal waist measurements for women of different heights.

Height	Ideal Waist Line	Waist to Height Percentage
5 feet and 1 inch	24 inches	39.5
5 feet and 2-3 inches	24-25 inches	39.5
5 feet and 3-4 inches	25- 25.3 inches	39.5
5 feet and 5 inches	25-25.5 inches	39.5
5 feet and 6 inches	27.50 inches	39.5
5 feet and 7 inches	27.75 inches	39.5
5 feet and 8 inches	27.80 inches	39.5
5 feet and 9-10 inches	27.85 inches	39.5
5 feet and 11 inches - 6 feet	28 inches	39.5

Ideal Waist Measurement for Men
The following waist measurement chart for men describes the ideal waist measurements for men of different heights.

Height	Ideal Waist Line	Waist to Height Percentage
5 feet and 5-6 inches	28.5 inches	46
5 feet and 7 inches	31 inches	46
5 feet and 8 inches	31.2 inches	46
5 feet and 9 inches	31.7 inches	46
5 feet and 10 inches	32 inches	46
5 feet and 11 inches	32.6 inches	46
6 feet	33.1 inches	46
6 feet and 2 inches	34 inches	46
6 feet and 4 inches	35 inches	46

Waist Measurement Chart for Comparison
You may use the following average waist measurement ratios for comparison:

Subject	Waist to Height Ratio
Barbie Doll	25.0 %
Ken Doll	36.0 %
College Swimmers, female	42.4 %
College Swimmers, male	42.8 %
Cut off for increased risk females	49.2 %
General healthy cut off	50.0 %
WHO increased risk, males	53.6 %
WHO substantially increased risk, females	54.1 %
WHO substantially increased risk, males	58.2 %

The aging process and genetic factors have a tremendous impact on a person's body shape. A woman's sex hormone levels also determine the fat distribution on her body. But still, with the help of balanced diet and regular waist exercises you can have normal waist measurement. You can always spend at least 10 minutes a day, focusing on your health, so that you can live healthier and longer. Healthy eating habits and increased physical activity can help reduce your waist.

Waist Hip Ratio
A person's waist measurement is divided by the hip measurement to obtain the waist-hip ratio (WHR). Researchers have studied and concluded that the waist-hip ratio of any build is very strongly correlated to the perception of attractiveness across all cultures. Women with a 0.7 WHR (waist circumference is 70% of the hip circumference) are usually considered as more attractive by men from European cultures. Beauty queens Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren and the Venus de Milo had WHRs around 0.7!

Now that you have gone through the ideal waist measurement chart and checked your waist, you should set your goal of attaining perfect body shape. Regular exercise, balanced diet and stress-free lifestyle help maintain hormonal balance and can make you active and happy. You only decide, which body shape you want, apple, banana, pear or hourglass. Only a little bit of discipline and control over mind is needed to achieve the desired goal.