Is a 29 Inch Waist Healthy?

Waist size is the measurement of your waist circumference, measured with a tape measure around the smallest part of your torso.

Doctors often use waist measurements to help determine if someone has excess body fat and is at risk for heart disease or other health problems like diabetes or high blood pressure.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends maintaining a waist size below 35 inches for men and 30 inches for women. So a 29-inch waist is considered within the healthy range, but it depends on your height, gender, and body type.

How do I measure my waist?

To measure your waist, place the tape measure around your bare torso just above the top of your hipbones. Then, take this measurement in inches or centimeters by drawing the tape snugly but not tightly around your body until there is no slack left in it.

Also, take the reading at the end of a normal exhale but do not suck in your stomach. The number where the end of the tape intersects is your waist size.

How Likely Are You to Have a 29 Inch Waist?

The likelihood of a 29-inch waist depends on your gender and overall fitness. For example, a 29-inch waistline is normal for physically fit women. In contrast, it’s much less likely for even thin men to have this small of a waist.

To elaborate, let’s look at some waist size statistics for men and women.

29 Inch Waist for Women

The average waist size for American women is 35.6 inches. And a 29-inch waist is smaller than 9 out of 10 average females.

However, it’s important to remember that 3 out of 4 adult women in the US are overweight or obese. So you might not want to compare yourself to the general population.

A survey of women in the US Army, who are generally more fit, shows that their average waist size is 28.2 inches. Therefore, a 29″ waist is fairly average among active women.

29 Inch Waist FAQ

Now you know how big a 29-inch waist is for men and women. But you might have more questions about this topic. So here are some quick answers to common queries.

What size is a 29 inch waist?

A 29-inch waist typically corresponds to a US dress size of 6. Additionally, this waist circumference should put you in an international size Small for women’s clothing.

At the same time, men with this waist size would likely fall into the Small to Extra-Small size range for clothing.

What pants size is a 29 inch waist?

A waist size of 29 inches generally corresponds to a pant size of 28-30 for women and 27-28 for men (which can be hard to find). So your jeans size doesn’t always reflect your actual waist size.

One reason for this is how you wear your pants. For example, women’s pants tend to sit higher on the waist, close to the measurement site. In contrast, men wear their pants lower on their hips, where their waists might be smaller.

In addition, your actual waist size may not reflect your pant size due to your body proportions. For instance, you may need to size up if you have thicker thighs or a bigger butt.

Is a 29 inch waist good for a woman?

For women, a 29-inch waist is roughly 7″ smaller than the average female’s. So this would definitely be a good target if you’re trying to improve your overall health and wellness.

At the same time, a waist size of 29 inches is average among women who exercise regularly. So if your goal is to be in elite shape, you may need to aim slightly smaller.

In addition, your ideal waist size depends on your body type and height. For instance, a 29″ waist would be good for a taller woman but not as good for a shorter one.

Is a 29 inch waist good for a man?

For men, a 29-inch waist is about 9 inches smaller than the average male’s. Even among active guys, a 29” waist is very rare. Therefore, it’s not a reasonable target for most men.

Again, whether this waist size is good for you depends on your age, overall size, and body type. To illustrate, a naturally thin adolescent male could likely have a 29-inch waist. But it is unrealistic for a larger, older man.