Formula and method
Recorded WHtR = recorded waist in inches ÷ recorded height in inches, truncated to three decimal places. Army Directive 2026-13 uses a threshold strictly below 0.550.
Worked example
A recorded waist of 35 inches and height of 70 inches yield 0.500. A ratio of 0.5498 is recorded as 0.549, not rounded to 0.550.
Which policy each mode reflects
The default mode applies Army Directive 2026-13 (2026), which made the waist-to-height ratio the only authorized Army Body Composition Program standard, discontinued the height and weight screening tables and rescinded Army Directive 2023-11 (the one-site abdominal tape test, issued 9 June 2023) and Army Directive 2023-08 (the ACFT score exemption, 15 March 2023).
The former-standard mode looks up the maximum allowable body-fat percentage in AR 600-9 (16 July 2019) Table B-2 by sex and age group and compares it with a body-fat percentage you already have. It is kept for historical comparison, such as reviewing an older DA Form 5500 or 5501 result. It does not estimate body fat from tape measurements, and the Army no longer uses it as its standard.
| Age group | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 17–20 | 20% | 30% |
| 21–27 | 22% | 32% |
| 28–39 | 24% | 34% |
| 40 and older | 26% | 36% |
Applicability and limits
Army Directive 2026-13 applies to the Regular Army, Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve. An initial ratio that does not meet the standard requires a same-day confirmation measurement by a different team, and a commander-requested medical examination can follow enrollment. This page only does arithmetic on recorded numbers. It is not a medical assessment and cannot decide flagging, enrollment or any other administrative outcome.