Find Your Maximum Waist
To pass Step 1 of the Navy Body Composition Assessment, your waist (measured at the belly button) must be under 55% of your height. At 5'10", that means under 38.5 inches.
The Full Chart
Heights are listed in half inches because the Navy rounds height up to the nearest half inch; if yours falls in between, use the next half inch up. The maximum waist at each height matches the Navy's own Maximum Waist for Height table (Guide-4, Table-1); ratios are shown rounded down to four decimals, as the guide's rules specify.
| Height | Height (cm) | Navy: waist must be | Maximum waist allowed | Resulting ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4'10" (58 in) | 147 cm | Under 31.9 in | 31.5 in | 0.5431 |
| 4'10½" (58.5 in) | 149 cm | Under 32.18 in | 32 in | 0.5470 |
| 4'11" (59 in) | 150 cm | Under 32.45 in | 32 in | 0.5423 |
| 4'11½" (59.5 in) | 151 cm | Under 32.73 in | 32.5 in | 0.5462 |
| 5'0" (60 in) | 152 cm | Under 33 in | 32.5 in | 0.5416 |
| 5'0½" (60.5 in) | 154 cm | Under 33.28 in | 33 in | 0.5454 |
| 5'1" (61 in) | 155 cm | Under 33.55 in | 33.5 in | 0.5491 |
| 5'1½" (61.5 in) | 156 cm | Under 33.83 in | 33.5 in | 0.5447 |
| 5'2" (62 in) | 157 cm | Under 34.1 in | 34 in | 0.5483 |
| 5'2½" (62.5 in) | 159 cm | Under 34.38 in | 34 in | 0.5440 |
| 5'3" (63 in) | 160 cm | Under 34.65 in | 34.5 in | 0.5476 |
| 5'3½" (63.5 in) | 161 cm | Under 34.93 in | 34.5 in | 0.5433 |
| 5'4" (64 in) | 163 cm | Under 35.2 in | 35 in | 0.5468 |
| 5'4½" (64.5 in) | 164 cm | Under 35.48 in | 35 in | 0.5426 |
| 5'5" (65 in) | 165 cm | Under 35.75 in | 35.5 in | 0.5461 |
| 5'5½" (65.5 in) | 166 cm | Under 36.03 in | 36 in | 0.5496 |
| 5'6" (66 in) | 168 cm | Under 36.3 in | 36 in | 0.5454 |
| 5'6½" (66.5 in) | 169 cm | Under 36.58 in | 36.5 in | 0.5488 |
| 5'7" (67 in) | 170 cm | Under 36.85 in | 36.5 in | 0.5447 |
| 5'7½" (67.5 in) | 171 cm | Under 37.12 in | 37 in | 0.5481 |
| 5'8" (68 in) | 173 cm | Under 37.4 in | 37 in | 0.5441 |
| 5'8½" (68.5 in) | 174 cm | Under 37.68 in | 37.5 in | 0.5474 |
| 5'9" (69 in) | 175 cm | Under 37.95 in | 37.5 in | 0.5434 |
| 5'9½" (69.5 in) | 177 cm | Under 38.23 in | 38 in | 0.5467 |
| 5'10" (70 in) | 178 cm | Under 38.5 in | 38 in | 0.5428 |
| 5'10½" (70.5 in) | 179 cm | Under 38.78 in | 38.5 in | 0.5460 |
| 5'11" (71 in) | 180 cm | Under 39.05 in | 39 in | 0.5492 |
| 5'11½" (71.5 in) | 182 cm | Under 39.33 in | 39 in | 0.5454 |
| 6'0" (72 in) | 183 cm | Under 39.6 in | 39.5 in | 0.5486 |
| 6'0½" (72.5 in) | 184 cm | Under 39.88 in | 39.5 in | 0.5448 |
| 6'1" (73 in) | 185 cm | Under 40.15 in | 40 in | 0.5479 |
| 6'1½" (73.5 in) | 187 cm | Under 40.43 in | 40 in | 0.5442 |
| 6'2" (74 in) | 188 cm | Under 40.7 in | 40.5 in | 0.5472 |
| 6'2½" (74.5 in) | 189 cm | Under 40.98 in | 40.5 in | 0.5436 |
| 6'3" (75 in) | 190 cm | Under 41.25 in | 41 in | 0.5466 |
| 6'3½" (75.5 in) | 192 cm | Under 41.53 in | 41.5 in | 0.5496 |
| 6'4" (76 in) | 193 cm | Under 41.8 in | 41.5 in | 0.5460 |
| 6'4½" (76.5 in) | 194 cm | Under 42.08 in | 42 in | 0.5490 |
| 6'5" (77 in) | 196 cm | Under 42.35 in | 42 in | 0.5454 |
| 6'5½" (77.5 in) | 197 cm | Under 42.62 in | 42.5 in | 0.5483 |
| 6'6" (78 in) | 198 cm | Under 42.9 in | 42.5 in | 0.5448 |
| 6'6½" (78.5 in) | 199 cm | Under 43.18 in | 43 in | 0.5477 |
| 6'7" (79 in) | 201 cm | Under 43.45 in | 43 in | 0.5443 |
| 6'7½" (79.5 in) | 202 cm | Under 43.73 in | 43.5 in | 0.5471 |
| 6'8" (80 in) | 203 cm | Under 44 in | 43.5 in | 0.5437 |
How the Navy Applies the Standard
- Step 1, waist-to-height: a ratio of 0.5499 or below passes. The ratio is rounded down to four decimals, so in practice the waist must be less than 55% of height.
- Waist readings: taken on bare skin at the belly button, starting on the right side, tape parallel to the deck and snug without compressing the skin, at the end of a normal breath out. Two readings, each rounded down to the nearest half inch; if they differ by more than an inch, a third is taken and the two closest are averaged, then rounded down to the half inch again.
- Height: shoes off, socks on, measured at the closest part of the scalp, rounded up to the nearest half inch.
- Who and when: at least two certified Command Fitness Leaders (or trained assistants) take the measurements, within 45 days of the PRT and at least 24 hours before it. The official BCA can't be retaken.
- Step 2, body fat: Sailors at 0.5500 or above get a body fat estimate calculated from height, waist and weight using the Navy's tables. Maximums are 26% for men and 36% for women; above that is a PFA failure unless the Sailor qualifies for the High-Performance BCA Exemption. No other methods (calipers, bio-impedance, BMI) are allowed.
- No shortcuts: if a fitness leader sees signs of an attempt to alter the measurement, such as dehydration, the Sailor is turned away for 72 hours.
- The tape: non-stretch, preferably fiberglass, self-retracting with a lock (the guide names the MyoTape as an example). See tape measure picks →
These details come from the Navy's Physical Readiness Program Guide-4 (Body Composition Assessment), June 2026 edition. The Navy updates its guides regularly, so check the latest version on MyNavy HR or ask your Command Fitness Leader. Step 2 no longer uses the old neck-and-waist tape method, so our tape-method body fat calculator is only a rough guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Navy waist-to-height standard?
Sailors meet the first step of the Body Composition Assessment with a waist-to-height ratio of 0.5499 or below. The ratio is rounded down to four decimal places, so 0.5500 or higher moves the Sailor to a body fat assessment.
What is the maximum waist for a 5'10" Sailor?
At 5'10" (70 inches), the maximum waist allowed is 38 inches, a ratio of 0.5429. A 38.5-inch waist gives exactly 0.5500 and moves the Sailor to Step 2. At 5'10½" the maximum rises to 38.5 inches.
What happens if a Sailor is over 0.5499?
The Sailor moves to Step 2, a body fat estimate calculated from height, waist and weight using the Navy's tables. The maximum allowable body fat is 26% for men and 36% for women. Above that, the Sailor is not within standards, which counts as a PFA failure unless they qualify for the High-Performance BCA Exemption.
How does the Navy round height and waist?
The waist is measured twice and each reading is rounded down to the nearest half inch; if a third reading is needed, the two closest are averaged and rounded down to the nearest half inch again. Height is rounded up to the nearest half inch, which works slightly in the Sailor's favor.
What tape measure does the Navy use?
A non-stretch tape, preferably fiberglass, self-retracting with a lock and marked in 1/16-inch and millimeter increments. Navy Guide-4 names the MyoTape as an example. Cloth and steel tapes are not allowed.
Compare Every Branch
The Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard all handle body composition differently.
See Standards by Branch →📚 Official Sources
- Navy Personnel Command. (June 2026). Physical Readiness Program Guide-4: Body Composition Assessment.
Guide-4 (PDF) → - Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness. (Dec. 18, 2025). Additional Guidance on Military Fitness Standards.
DoD memo (PDF) →