How to use this calculator
- Enter or choose units.
- Enter or choose waist at the navel.
- The waist-to-height ratio updates as you type. Use Copy result or Share to keep it.
Method
WHtR = waist at the navel ÷ height (same units); meets the standard if WHtR < 0.55; waist limit = 0.55 × height
- waist
- circumference at the navel (belly button)
- height
- standing height in the same unit
Worked example
- WHtR = 95 ÷ 175 = 0.543.
- 0.543 is under 0.55, so this meets the standard.
- Waist limit = 0.55 × 175 = 96.25 cm; this waist is 1.25 cm under it.
A soldier 175 cm tall with a 95 cm waist has a ratio of 0.543 and meets the Army standard; the waist must stay under about 96.3 cm.
What the result means
A ratio of 0.55 or higher leads to a confirmation measurement and enrolment in the Army Body Composition Program. This calculator is a self-check only; the official result is the one recorded by your unit using the Army’s measuring procedure.
Assumptions and limits
- US Army standard announced 7 July 2026: waist at the navel divided by height must be under 0.55.
- The same limit is applied to all soldiers; the announcements give no age or sex adjustments.
- Measuring technique (tape position, breathing, rounding) follows Army procedure, which is not reproduced here.
- Policy can change and exemptions may apply; check the current Army directive and your unit before relying on the result.
- Does not estimate body fat percentage; the Army no longer uses the circumference body-fat equations for this standard.
- Jurisdiction
- United States Army
- Rates effective from
- 7 July 2026
- Authority
- U.S. Department of the Army
- Rates last checked
- 29 October 2026
Questions
Does the Army still use the neck-and-waist tape test?
No. Army announcements in July 2026 say the waist-to-height ratio replaces the height-and-weight tables, the circumference-based tape test and supplemental body-fat assessments.
Where exactly is the waist measured?
At the navel (belly button). Height and waist must be in the same unit; the ratio has no units.
Can I still estimate my body fat?
Yes, for your own tracking: the Body Fat Calculator uses the US Navy circumference equations, but that figure is not the Army standard.
Sources
Please note: This is a general screening estimate for adults, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Talk to a qualified health professional about your health.