Waist to hip ratios Healthy women have ratios of 0.67 to 0.80 while healthy men have 0.80 to 0.95. For attractiveness, ideal for men is 0.90 and female ideal is 0.7 (for Western populations only).
What should your waist measurement be? For men, a waist circumference below 94cm (37in) is 'low risk', 94–102cm (37-40in) is 'high risk' and more than 102cm (40in) is 'very high'. For women, below 80cm (31.5in) is low risk, 80–88cm (31.5-34.6in) is high risk and more than 88cm (34.6in) is very high.
Thus a man who is 6ft or 72 inches tall (183 cm), should keep his waist under 36 inches (91 cm), and a woman who is 5ft 4 in or 64 inches tall (163 cm), should keep her waist measurement under 32 inches (81 cm).
A woman's health is at risk if her waist circumference is 32 inches or more. A measurement of 35 or more puts you at high risk for a heart attack or stroke. People with a high level of abdominal fat have a much higher chance of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
The average American man 20 years old and up weighs 197.9 pounds . The average waist circumference is 40.2 inches, and the average height is just over 5 feet 9 inches (about 69.1 inches) tall.
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.
In general if you're a woman, you want a measurement that's less than 34.5 inches. If you're a man, a number below 40 inches is ideal. A measurement that's higher than those isn't a death sentence, but it has been strongly linked with a higher risk of several serious diseases including type 2 diabetes.
For attractiveness, ideal for men is 0.90 and female ideal is 0.7 (for Western populations only). WHR increases with each pregnancy and increases slightly with age. However, a 17 year old will have nearly the same WHR as a 22 year woman and at menopause it reaches the level of a male's WHR (about 1).
Waist: 31.5-33″ (45-47% of your height) Shoulders: 51-53″ (waist x 1.618) Arms: Same as Neck (roughly 15.5-16.5″) Chest: 42-45″ (10-12″ bigger than waist)
Ideal waistline measurement
According to the Heart Foundation, a healthy waistline size is: 37 inches or less for men. 31.5 inches or less for women.
Medically, the advice these days is for a woman to have a waist less than 32 inches [81.5 cm] and 36 inches [91.5 cm] for a man. Above those measurements is regarded by the medics as indicating overweight and loss of control over diet, exercise, lifestyle generally.
Summary. Women tend to prefer men with fit, athletic bodies. These ideal male bodies are significantly leaner and stronger than average, but not as lean and strong as most men wish to be, and certainly not as muscular as most bodybuilders. Think of the bodies of soccer players, rugby players, and mixed martial artists.
The specific proportions of 36–24–36 inches (90-60-90 centimeters) have frequently been given as the "ideal", or "hourglass" proportions for women since at least the 1960s (these measurements are, for example, the title of a hit instrumental by The Shadows).
Men should have a waist to hip ratio slightly under a 1.0 - a . 99 according to this study. Women should have a waist to hip ratio under 1.0 - a . 90 or lower.
For men, a 30 inch waist is about 8 inches smaller than the average male. Even among active guys, a 30” waist is somewhat rare.
Anything over a 38-inch chest is considered buff. 15 - 16 inch arms are average for bodybuilders. Anything between a 31 and a 35-inch waist is great for lifters depending on body fat percentage and muscle mass.
For your best health, your waist should be less than 40 inches around for men, and less than 35 inches for women, although it may vary depending on race or ethnicity. If it's larger than that, you may want to talk with your doctor about what your next steps are, including losing weight.
The ideal waist size for women is 32 ½ inches and 35 inches for men. In women who are overweight with a body mass index of 25 or higher, a waist size greater than 35 inches is considered high risk and unhealthy.
Waist Circumference
If most of your fat is around your waist rather than at your hips, you're at a higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This risk goes up with a waist size that is greater than 35 inches for women or greater than 40 inches for men.