What’s a healthy waist measurement?

[JLB105]

I’m 6’1” 44 years old. Focusing on fat loss, with about 30lbs to lose. What would you guys consider to be a healthy measurement around the navel? Currently I’m at 48 inches, I carry most my weight around my gut.

[Marenghi]

First of all, you picked the best screening measurement out of a couple ones: Waist-to-height ratio is a better screening tool than waist circumference and BMI for adult cardiometabolic risk factors: systematic review and met... - PubMed - NCBI Its still only a hard and fast rule. Depending on your frame, your ribcage, hips, back muscles, the recommendation would differ. More exactly would be a DEXA scan and estimating of your organ fat - but thats a bit excessive on an individual level.

With that out of the way, population recommendations are waist <= 50% of height. The cutoff is a bit more lenient for >40 years (which there is no real reason for in the data) and I like to be more lenient for a strength trainee (well, maybe thats just self-deception) and put it at 53%. You´re 185cm tall, 50% corresponds to a 92.5cm, and 53% to a 98cm waist (thats .753 gallon, 6ft and 1.35in per fluidounces - get the metric system already damnit).