England: waist circumference 2024, by gender/age| ��ƽ��

Mean waist circumference of adults in England in 2024, by gender and age (in centimeters)

Characteristic	Men	Women
16-34 years	91.6	82.1
35-44 years	97.2	89.3
45-54 years	100.9	89.9
55-64 years	102.8	91.8
65-74 years	103.4	92.6
75 years and over	103.5	92.6

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Release date

January 2026

More information

Region

United Kingdom (England)

Survey time period

2024

Number of respondents

3,590*

Age group

16 years and older

Method of interview

Face-to-face interview

Supplementary notes

* Weighted bases: n (men)= 1,774; n (women)=1,815.
The source provides the following information:
-high waist circumference: 94-102 centimeters in men and 80-88 centimeters in women.
-very high waist circumference: greater than 102 centimeters in men and greater than 88 centimeters in women, referred to as 'raised waist circumference' in previous HSE reports.

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In 2024, the mean waist circumference in England among the age group of 65 to 74 years was 103.4 centimeters for men and 92.6 centimeters for women. The age group with the largest average waist circumference among both men and women was above 75 years.

Age and gender differences in very high waist circumference

The 2022 data shows that the age group between 65 and 74 years in England had the largest share of men with very high waist circumference at 54 percent, whereas 56 percent of the women in the age group from 55 to 64 years had the same classification. Interestingly, both men and women. The youngest age group, 16 to 34 years, had the smallest share of individuals with very high waist circumference for both genders, with men at 17 percent and women at 34 percent.

Obesity trends and health implications

The increasing waist sizes align with broader obesity trends in England. In 2022, the mean body mass index (BMI) for both men and women was 27.6, which falls into the overweight category. This is part of a steady upward trend since 1998. The prevalence of obesity has also risen, with 30 percent of women and 28 percent of men classified as obese in 2022, up from 21 percent for both genders in 2000. Additionally, 39 percent of men and 31 percent of women were classified as overweight in 2022, while the share of individuals classified as having normal body weight was 31 percent among men and 37 percent among women in England.