Average Waist Size For Women and Men

 Learn about the average waist size for women and men and how to measure your waist circumference correctly.

 Written by VIDUR SAINI  

Many people consider their waist size to be the leading fitness indicator. If they see a bulging belly, they know they need to start working on their fitness. On the other hand, a retracting waistline is a cause for celebration for overweight folks.

“What is the average waist size for women?” or “What is the average waist size for men?” is usually the most common question amongst people who are beginning to take control of their diet and physical fitness. However, contrary to popular opinion, the average waist size might not be the ideal waist size for them. But why is that, you ask?

Every individual is different and has a unique body composition and structure. Furthermore, the average waist size of a person varies with their gender, age, and height. 

To put it briefly, you should not expect a six-foot-two, 55-year-old man to have the same waist size as a five-foot-five, 25-year-old female, or even a five-foot-five, 25-year-old male, for that matter.

However, you shouldn’t use this as an excuse to overlook your bulging waistline. As per a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association, waist size predicts heart attacks better than BMI, especially in women. 

Additionally, visceral fat gathers deep around your abdominal area and surrounds the internal organs, which might result in health problems. 

https://fitnessvolt.com/average-waist-size-guide 

What is the average waist size for women?

According to a survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics on 5,065 female participants, the average waist size for women of all ages is 38.7 inches or 98.4 cm. [1]

As per the report, the average waist size of women changes by age, and younger women usually have smaller waists than older women. Females aged 20-29 have a 36.3-inch waist on average, and women aged 30-39 usually have a 38.3-inch waistline. That’s a two-inch gain in a 10-year span. 

Furthermore, 39.2 inches is the average waist size for women in the 40-49 age bracket — almost an inch more than their counterparts in the 30-39 age group. Notably, there isn’t much change in a women’s waist circumference as she enters her fifties. In the 50-59 age bracket, an average female’s waist size is 39.3 inches. 

The average female waist size peaks at 40 inches in the 60 to 79 age range. However, it recedes by 1.3 inches to 38.7 inches as a woman enters her 80s. [2]

Age	Average Waist Size (inches)	Average Waist Size (cms)
20-29	36.6	92.1
30-39	38.3	97.2
40-49	39.2	99.5
50-59	39.3	99.8
60-69	40.0	101.7
70-79	40.0	101.5
80+	38.7	98.3

What is the average waist size for a teenage girl?

In the U.S., the average waist size of a 13-year-old girl is 30.9 inches, which increases to 31.7 inches in their 14th and 15th year. However, this number budges to 32.4 inches for a 16-year-old. 

A 17-year-old girl has an average waist size of 33.1 inches, but this number touches 33.5 inches as she enters adulthood at 18. At 19, the average female waist size is around 34.6 inches. 

Notably, the overall average waist size for women in the US has increased from 37.4 inches in the 2010s to 38.7 inches in the 2020s. 

Here is the average waist size for adolescent girls as per their age:

Age	Average Waist Size (inches)	Average Waist Size (cms)
2	18.9	48.0
3	19.8	50.3
4	20.9	53.0
5	22.0	55.9
6	22.5	57.1
7	23.9	60.6
8	24.8	63.1
9	25.6	65.0
10	27.6	70.0
11	28.8	73.2
12	30.2	76.6
13	30.9	78.5
14	31.7	80.6
15	31.7	80.4
16	32.4	82.2
17	33.1	84.2
18	33.5	85.2
19	34.6	88.0

What is the average waist size for men?

As per a US Anthropometric Reference Data survey conducted on 4,881 participants between 2015 and 2018, the average waist size for men aged 20 and above is 40.5 inches or 102.9 cms.

The average male waist circumference for a man aged 20-29 is 37.1 inches, and the number jumps to 40.4 inches for a man aged 30-39 and 41 inches for a man in the 40-49 age range.

The survey said that an average man between 50 and 59 years of age has a 41.4-inch waist. The average male waist circumference heads north to 42.2 inches for men in their 60s before peaking at 43.3 inches for men in their 70s. The average waist size for an average man drops a little more than a couple of inches to 41.1 when a male enters his 80s. 

Age	Average Waist Size (inches)	Average Waist Size (cms)
20-29	37.1	94.2
30-39	40.4	102.6
40-49	41.0	104.1
50-59	41.4	105.1
60-69	42.2	107.3
70-79	42.3	107.4
80+	41.1	104.3

What is the average waist size for a teenage boy?

31.6 inches is the average waist size for a 13 to a 14-year-old teenage boy, and this number fluctuates routinely as the boy approaches adulthood.

For a 15-year-old teenage boy, 33.5 inches is the average waistline size. The number falls to 32.2 inches for a 16-year-old boy before hitting a new high at 33.7 inches for a 17-year-old. 

However, the waist size of an average teenage boy drops slightly to 33.4 inches as he hits 18 before peaking at 35.2 inches after he turns 19. Here is the average waist size for adolescent boys as per their age:

Age	Average Waist Size (inches)	Average Waist Size (cms)
2	19.2	48.8
3	20.2	51.3
4	20.9	53.2
5	21.7	55.0
6	22.5	57.3
7	23.6	59.9
8	24.8	63.1
9	26.2	66.6
10	27.7	70.4
11	28.8	73.2
12	28.7	72.9
13	31.6	80.2
14	31.6	80.3
15	33.5	85.0
16	32.2	81.7
17	33.7	85.6
18	33.4	84.9
19	35.2	89.5

What is the ideal waist circumference by height?

As per research, your waist circumference should not be more than half of your height, meaning your waist-to-height ratio should not be more than 0.5. [3]

Note: This ratio is an upper limit and not the ideal waist-to-height ratio.

Per a WHO report, irrespective of a man’s height, his waist size should not be more than 37 inches. The same report recommends 31.5 inches as the safe waist circumference upper limit for women. However, the American Heart Association puts the figure at 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women.