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The Army now uses waist-to-height ratio, not the tape test. Enter your height and navel-level waist to see if you are under 0.55. Free, no signup.
Enter your height and waist to see your ratio, pass or fail, and inches to lose.
In July 2026 the Army replaced the height and weight tables, the circumference-based tape test and supplemental body fat assessments with the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). The waist is measured at the navel and divided by height in inches. Under 0.55 meets the standard. At 0.55 or higher, a Soldier gets a same-day confirmation test and, if confirmed, is flagged and enrolled in the Army Body Composition Program. Soldiers take the assessment twice per calendar year, and no separation actions for failing the WHtR occur during the initial 180-day assessment period.
Sources: army.mil announcement, “The full measure: The Army’s new WHtR standard” (Army Directive 2026-13). Rules last checked November 10, 2026. This is an unofficial estimate: your unit’s measurement is what counts, and details such as exemptions or rounding are not covered in the public articles. Other branches may differ, so check your own service regulation.
Outside the military, NICE guideline NG246 treats a ratio of 0.5 to 0.59 as increased central adiposity and 0.6 or more as high (NICE NG246).
As of July 2026 the Army no longer uses a body fat percentage tape test as its standard. It uses waist-to-height ratio (WHtR): your waist measured at the navel, divided by your height in inches. A ratio under 0.55 meets the standard; 0.55 or higher is flagged. This is from the Army announcement on army.mil (Army Directive 2026-13).
Divide your waist circumference at the navel by your height, both in the same unit. Example: a 70-inch soldier with a 38-inch waist has a ratio of 38 / 70 = 0.543, which is under 0.55. To find your maximum waist, multiply your height by 0.55: 70 x 0.55 = 38.5 inches, so you need to measure below 38.5.
There is no height and weight table anymore. The Army replaced the height and weight tables, the circumference-based tape test and supplemental body fat assessments with the waist-to-height ratio. You only need your height and your waist at the navel, which is all this calculator asks for.
The army.mil announcement describes one threshold, a ratio under 0.55, and does not describe age or sex adjustments. That is why this calculator only asks for height and waist.
Per army.mil, a Soldier at 0.55 or higher gets a confirmation test by another team on the same duty day. If the failure is confirmed, the Soldier is flagged and enrolled in the Army Body Composition Program (ABCP) until they meet the standard. The Army stated no separation actions for failing the WHtR will occur during the initial 180-day assessment period, and later guidance will follow. Ask your chain of command for your unit procedures.
ABCP is the Army Body Composition Program. Under the 2026 policy, Soldiers who are at or above 0.55 on both the initial screening and the same-day confirmation are flagged and enrolled until they meet the standard.
According to army.mil, all Soldiers take the WHtR assessment twice per calendar year, and commanders may order an assessment at any time. Diagnostic screenings ordered at any time are described as nonpunitive and do not trigger a flag or ABCP enrollment. A good score on the Army Fitness Test or Combat Field Test does not let you skip the measurement.
For the Army, no. The July 2026 announcement says the circumference-based tape test was replaced. We cannot verify current rules for other branches, so this page only covers the Army standard. If you are in another branch, check your service regulation. The Navy-style neck and waist tape method for general body fat estimates is still available in our body fat tool.
At the navel, per army.mil. The published articles do not give more detail about breathing or rounding, so measure the way your unit measurers do and ask them for the official procedure. This calculator does not round your numbers before comparing them to 0.55.
NICE guideline NG246 treats a ratio of 0.5 to 0.59 as increased central adiposity (increased health risk) and 0.6 or more as high central adiposity (further increased risk). A common rule of thumb is to keep your waist under half your height, a ratio under 0.5. The Army cutoff of 0.55 sits between those two bands.
Waist size follows overall fat loss, and you cannot spot-reduce belly fat. The practical path is a moderate calorie deficit, enough protein, and strength training to keep muscle while you lose fat. Use the TDEE calculator to find maintenance calories and subtract a moderate amount, then track your waist weekly at the same spot and time of day.