An unhealthy waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) is generally considered to be 0.5 or greater, meaning your waist circumference is half or more of your height, indicating increased risk for conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, with ratios above 0.6 signaling a high risk. The simple rule is to keep your waist measurement less than half your height, with ideal ranges falling between 0.4 and 0.49.
Comparing a 70cm Waist with National Averages
For men, 70cm is considered small, as their average waist ranges from 75–85cm.
A waist size of about 32 inches or more indicates that you have an increased risk of health problems. A waist size of about 35 inches or more indicates that you have a high risk of health problems.
In general, keep waist circumference to less than half your height. For example, for a 6-foot man (72 inches), a healthy waist size would be anything less than 36 inches. For a 5-foot-2 woman (62 inches), a healthy waist size would be anything less than 31 inches.
For your appearance, a waist circumference of anywhere from 0.4–0.5 times your height will look great, and being on the narrower side might be slightly more attractive. What matters more, though, is the ratio between your waist circumference and hip circumference (study).
Reducing your waist circumference by 4 cm can have massive benefits to your risk profile and reduce your chances of developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Regardless of your height or build, for most adults a waist measurement of greater than 94cm for men and 80cm for women is an indicator of the level of internal fat deposits which cover the heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas, and increase the risk of chronic disease.
A healthy waist circumference, measured at the navel, is less than half the body height. Excess unhealthy body fat, which increases risk for heart disease, diabetes, and related health problems, produces a waist to height ratio of 0.5 or higher.
If the WHR is a fitness cue resulting from evolution, then female bodies with a WHR of 0.7 should be considered most attractive in all cultures. This, however, is only the case to a limited extent. There is some variation across cultures. Chinese men, for instance, seem to prefer female figures with an WHR of 0.619.
However, BMI cannot differentiate between body fat and muscle mass. This means there are some exceptions to the BMI guidelines: Muscles – body builders and people who have a lot of muscle bulk will have a high BMI, but are not overweight.
At 22% body fat, men often have a softer midsection, less muscle definition, and a healthy but not overly lean look, while women typically appear athletic and toned, with some ab definition visible when flexing and definition in arms and legs, sitting in the "fitness" or "average" range for both genders, though visual appearance varies by individual.
Low risk level (0.4 to 0.49)
Your waist to height ratio is in the ideal range. It's important to stay within this range and maintain a healthy weight to help reduce your risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
If you've been feeling stressed and have noticed fat accumulating around your midsection, cortisol might be playing a role. Cortisol can promote fat storage, leading to increased visceral fat, which is fat that surrounds internal organs such as the stomach, liver and intestines.
Yes, a 24-inch waist is definitely small. In fact, it's quite rare for most adults to have a waist that small unless they have a very small frame or are very thin.
Waist circumference and health risks
These are the waist circumference numbers that can show you have an increased risk of disease: If you are an adult female: your risk is increased if your waist measurement is 80cm or more. your risk is greatly increased if your waist measurement is 88cm or more.
A 34-inch waist generally translates to an Australian (AU) size 14 (for women, around 80-87cm) or a size 16 (if using inch sizing directly in AU), while for men it's often an AU Large or size 34 in men's specific sizing, but always check brand charts as women's sizes vary from 28-30 inch waists to size 14/16 and men's 32-34 inch waists are often Large.
For women, a waist measurement of more than 35 inches (89 centimeters) signals an unhealthy amount of belly fat and a greater risk of health problems. In general, though, the greater the waist measurement, the higher the health risks.
Women with a waist circumference greater than 35 inches have an increased risk of obesity-related conditions. Men with a waist circumference greater than 40 inches have an increased risk. Walking and other forms of aerobic exercise are an effective way to reduce belly fat and decrease your waist circumference.
In women, 35 inches or more is typically a sign of visceral fat. In men, it's 40. These numbers may be slightly higher if your body is naturally very large. They're lower for people with Asian backgrounds: 31.5 for women and 35.5 for men.
The most common stubborn fat areas include the belly, thighs, hips, lower back, upper arms, and neck. These regions tend to store fat more easily and resist weight loss, making them challenging for many people. Fat in these areas is often influenced by factors like hormones, genetics, and lifestyle choices.
A waist circumference of greater than 40 inches for men and greater than 35 inches for women is "considered elevated and indicative of increased cardiometabolic (heart disease-related) risk," said Craig Peters, DO, an HonorHealth cardiologist.
Your waist-to-hip ratio might give you a better picture of your health than your weight or your BMI. You can be at a healthy weight but have too much fat around your midsection. A good rule of thumb is that your waist should be smaller than your hips, no matter your weight or BMI.
The ideal waist size for Women is considered to be between 32.5-35 inches. 2. BMI (Body Mass Index) – This is calculated by diving your body mass by your height. A healthy BMI ranges from 18.5 to 24.9.