Go to home page
Skip to Navigation
Skip to Content
Logo - Australian Government - Department of Health Logo - Australian Government - Department of Health
Logo - Healthy Weight Guide Logo - Healthy Weight Guide
Search the Healthy Weight Website
  • Home
  • Footer
  • Home
  • Get started currently selected
    • Before you start
    • Are you a healthy weight?
    • Planning for change
  • Set goals
    • Setting goals
    • Defining your goals
    • Tips for setting goals
    • Setting a goal weight
  • Get active
    • Establishing physical activity habits
    • Building more movement into your day
    • Planning physical activity
    • Finding local activities
  • Eat well
    • Establishing healthy eating habits
    • Healthy recipes
    • Healthy cooking
    • Healthy shopping
    • Healthy pantry list
    • Reading food labels
    • Healthy meal sizes
    • Meal time habits
    • Healthy eating out
    • Limiting take away food
    • Healthy snacks
    • How much should you eat?
  • Keep in check
    • Monitoring what you do
    • Managing the challenges
    • Healthy habits
  • Get informed
    • Why are so many people not a healthy weight?
    • Stages of change
    • Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods
    • Have less unhealthy foods and drinks
    • Physical activity and sedentary behaviour
    • Weight loss methods
  • Helping hand
    • Getting support
    • Different needs
    • Tools
    • Links
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Reference material
    • About the Healthy Weight Guide
  • Login or Register
Z6_L8ECHJ41IG3P00IFCTOUVB2GJ1
{}
Z7_L8ECHJ41IG3P00IFCTOUVB2GB2

Web Content Viewer (JSR 286) - Healthy Weight

Actions
  • ${title}
Loading...

Waist circumference

  • Home>
  • Get started>
  • Are you a healthy weight?>
  • Waist circumference
  • In this section
  • Before you start
  • Are you a healthy weight?
    • Why is a healthy weight important?
    • The benefits of losing weight
    • Body mass index (BMI)
    • How do you measure your BMI?
    • BMI calculator
    • Waist circumference
    • How do you measure your waist circumference?
  • Planning for change

Man measuring his waist while standing on a tape measureYou can get an idea of whether or not you are at risk of obesity-related chronic diseases by measuring your waist circumference. 

For men, a waist circumference of 94 centimetres or more indicates an increased risk of chronic disease and a measurement of 102 centimetres or more indicates a higher increased risk of chronic disease.  

For women, a waist circumference of 80 centimetres or more indicates an increased risk of chronic disease and a measurement of 88 centimetres or more indicates a higher increased risk of chronic disease.

These measurements apply only to adults, not to children. They also do not apply to pregnant women or people from certain non-European backgrounds, who may have different body shapes.

Generally, the larger your waist circumference, the higher your risk of developing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

Picture of two measuring tapes showing the waist circumference range for men and women.

Registering gives you access to tools that will help you to...

Plan

Record your goals and plans

Track

Monitor your progress

Achieve

Celebrate your achievements

View Demo Register Now

Tools

  • BMI Calculator
  • Quizzes
  • Goal setting form
  • Meal and physical activity planners
  • Finding local activities
  • Print resources

Links

  • Commonwealth Government links
  • State and Territory links
  • Non-government organisation links
  • More links

Frequently asked questions

About the Healthy Weight Guide

  • What is the Healthy Weight Guide?
  • Who is the Healthy Weight Guide for?
  • How do you use the Healthy Weight Guide?
  • How was the Healthy Weight Guide developed?
  • Terms and conditions
  • Copyright
  • Privacy & Security
  • Accessibility
  • Contact us
${nls.Theme:theme_complementary_content:xml}