Your waist measurement alone can also be used as a guide to your risk of disease. For adult women, a waist measurement of 80 cm or more puts you at increased risk of weight-related health problems, and at 88 cm or more your risk is substantially increased. In adult men, 94 cm or more indicates increased risk; 102 cm or more substantially increased risk.

These cut-off values for waist measurement may not be appropriate for all ethnic groups. More appropriate cut-offs for Asians and Indians may be about 10 cm lower, and for Pacific Islanders they could be significantly higher. This is because of the differences in body proportions in different populations.

Remember that the waist-to-hip ratio and waist measurement are not accurate measures of abdominal fat in some people, such as pregnant women or people with medical conditions where the stomach is distended. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about your body fat.