Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 2nd Class Stephen Ramirez takes the measurements of Aviation Electronics Technician Airman Ciaran O’Neill during a body composition assessment aboard amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli on Aug. 25, 2025. (Kobie Binette/U.S. Navy)
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is shifting from height and weight tables and replacing them with a waist-to-height ratio methodology, according to a memo.
The new body-fat standards are between 18% and 26% for men and between 26% and 36% for women, according to a Dec. 18 memo from undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness Anthony J. Tata that the Pentagon released on Monday.
Troops in every military branch will get two measurements each year, according to the memo.
“The upper limit for allowable [waist-to-height ratio] for military service body-composition policies shall be less than 0.55,” the memo says.
The ratio is determined by dividing waist measurement by height.
Under the policy, service members with a waist-to-height ratio of 0.55 or above will be further tested and, if found to exceed body-fat standards, will be placed in their service’s remedial programs and referred to medical authorities for an evaluation, according to the memo.
“Failure to meet established standards may result in the withholding of favorable personnel actions, including promotions,” the memo says. “Continued failure or those not demonstrating adequate progress will be subject to administrative measures to include processing for administrative separation.”
During a speech to generals on Sept. 30, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced 10 initiatives would arrive in their inboxes — including for height and weight requirements. In a memo, the secretary wrote the military would adopt the waist-to-height methodology “to promote consistency and fairness across the Joint Force,” and all service members would be evaluated twice per year.
Since Tata’s memo on Dec. 18, the Navy has implemented waist-to-height standards as part of its physical readiness program, according to the service’s body-composition assessment published last month.
The Air and Space Forces this month updated fitness standards which included the waist-to-height requirements as part of its process.
The Marine Corps and Army are in the process of announcing how they will implement the waist-to-height ratio, service officials said.
