Weight and Waist

Measurement:

Tools for Adults

WIN Weight-control Information Network

Today, 66 percent of adults in the United States are considered Today, 66 percent of

overweight or obese. How do you know if you are among

them? Two simple measures, body mass index (BMI) and waist adults in the United

circumference, provide useful estimates of overweight, obesity,

and body fat distribution. States are considered

Health care providers also use BMI and waist circumference overweight or obese. measures to assess a person’s risk of developing diabetes,

heart disease, or other health problems. This fact sheet tells

you how to measure your BMI and waist circumference, and How do you know

what these measures mean for your health.

if you are among

Body Mass Index them? Two simple BMI measures your weight in relation to your height, and it is

closely associated with measures of body fat. You can measures, body mass calculate your BMI using this formula:

BMI = weight (pounds) X 703 index (BMI) and waist

height squared (inches2

) circumference,

For example, for someone who is 5 feet, 7 inches tall and

weighs 220 pounds, the calculation would look like this: provide useful

BMI = 220 pounds X 703 = 154,660 = 34.45 estimates of

67 inches X 67 inches 4,489

overweight, obesity, A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered to be in the healthy range.

A person with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and body fat and a person with a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese.

distribution.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
2

You can also find your weight group on the

chart below. The chart applies to all adults.

The higher weights in the healthy range apply

to people with more muscle and bone, such

as men. Even within the healthy range,

weight gain could increase your risk for

health problems.

Because BMI does not show the difference

between fat and muscle, it does not always

accurately predict when weight could lead to

health problems. For example, someone with

a lot of muscle (such as a body builder) may

have a BMI in the overweight or obese range,

but still be healthy and have little risk of

developing diabetes or having a heart attack.

BMI also may not accurately reflect body

fatness in people who are very short (under 5

feet) and in older people, who tend to lose

muscle mass as they age. And it may not be

the best predictor of weight-related health

problems among some racial and ethnic

groups, such as African-American and

Hispanic-American women. But for most

people, BMI is a reliable way to tell if your

weight is putting your health at risk.

Waist Circumference

Excess weight as measured by BMI is not the

only risk to your health. Where excess fat is

located on your body may be another risk.

Table 1. Body Mass Index
3

If you carry fat mainly around your waist, you

are more likely to develop health problems

than if you carry fat mainly in your hips and

thighs. This is true even if your BMI falls

within the normal range. Women with a waist

measurement of more than 35 inches or men

with a waist measurement of more than 40

inches may have a higher disease risk than

people with smaller waist measurements

because of where their fat lies.

To measure your waist circumference, place a

tape measure around your bare abdomen just

above your hip bone. Be sure that the tape is

snug (but does not compress your skin) and

that it is parallel to the floor. Relax, exhale,

and measure your waist.

How does overweight or obesity

affect my health?

Extra weight can put you at higher risk for

these health problems:

• type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar)

• high blood pressure

• heart disease and stroke

• some types of cancer

• sleep apnea (when breathing stops for

short periods during sleep)

• osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints)

• gallbladder disease

• liver disease

• irregular menstrual periods

What should I do if my BMI or waist

measurement is too high?

If your BMI is between 25 and 30 and you

are otherwise healthy, try to look into healthy

ways to improve your eating and physical

activity habits.

Talk to your health care provider about losing

weight if:

• Your BMI is 30 or above, or

• Your BMI is between 25 and 30 and you

have:

• Two or more of the health problems

listed above or

• A family history of heart disease or

diabetes, or

• Your waist measures over 35 inches

(women) or 40 inches (men)—even if your

BMI is less than 25—and you have:

• Two or more of the health problems

listed above or

• A family history of heart disease or

diabetes.

Extra weight can put you at a higher risk for many health

problems, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and

heart disease.
4

Additional Reading

Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and

Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: The Evidence

Report. September 1998. This National Heart, Lung, and Blood

Institute report targets primary care practitioners and provides

evidence for the effects of treatment on overweight and obesity.

Active at Any Size. October 2006. Available from WIN.

Choosing a Safe and Successful Weight-loss Program.

April 2008. Available from WIN.

Do You Know the Health Risks of Being Overweight?

October 2007. Available from WIN.

Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Across Your Lifespan:

Better Health and You. January 2008. Available from WIN.

Physical Activity and Weight Control. January 2007.

Available from WIN.

Tips to Help You Get Active. January 2006. Available from WIN.

Understanding Adult Obesity. November 2008. Available from WIN.

Weight-loss and Nutrition Myths. August 2006. Available from WIN.

Weight-control

Information

Network

1 WIN Way

Bethesda, MD 20892–3665

Phone:

(202) 828–1025

Toll-free number:

1–877–946–4627

FAX: (202) 828–1028

Email:

WIN@info.niddk.nih.gov

Internet:

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov

The Weight-control Information

Network (WIN) is a service of

the National Institute of Diabetes

and Digestive and Kidney

Diseases (NIDDK) of the National

Institutes of Health, which is the

Federal Government’s lead

agency responsible for biomedical

research on nutrition and obesity.

Authorized by Congress (Public

Law 103–43), WIN provides

the general public, health

professionals, the media, and

Congress with up-to-date,

science-based health information

on weight control, obesity,

physical activity, and related

nutritional issues.

Publications produced by WIN are

carefully reviewed by both NIDDK

scientists and outside experts.

This fact sheet is also available at

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov.

This publication is not

copyrighted. WIN encourages

users of this brochure to

duplicate and distribute as

NIH Publication No. 04–5283 many copies as desired.

November 2008