Body measurements adult

Undertaken to monitor risk of future chronic conditions allowing clinicians to promote health lifestyle behaviours

Health check recommendations

Perform the measurement or ask the person the questions. See Table 1.
Provide brief intervention if required
Determine if the person requires a referral and place on a follow-up and recall register

Table 1. Age related body measurements
Measurement	Procedure
All those > 15 years of age
Weight	Weigh using stand-on scales
Height	Measure height using stadiometer
BMI	Calculate using formula (see 1.3 Calculating BMI)
Waist circumference	Measure using flexible paper tape measure
Waist-to-height ratio	Divide waist circumference by height in centimetres (cm)
plus for all those > 55 years
Has the person had any weight loss without trying?	Explore over what timeframe? how much weight loss? is there a change to diet? change in clothes size? recent stressful event e.g. a death, loss of job, relationship breakdown, an illness, etc. compare previous recorded weights

Measuring weight
- Ensure the stand-on scales are regularly calibrated
- Ensure person removes heavy clothing, jewellery, shoes, belt and wallet
- Zero and position person on scales with weight evenly distributed
- Record measurement to the nearest 0.1 kg
Measuring height
- Ensure the stadiometer is regularly calibrated
- Person to remove shoes and place head, back, buttocks and heels against the wall
- Ask them to stand straight with weight distributed evenly, heels together, looking forward with arms hanging freely by their sides
- Pull the stadiometer measuring plate down to the top of their scalp through any hair and record measurement to the nearest centimetre (cm)
Calculating BMI ¹
- Calculated as weight (in kilograms) divided by height (in metres) squared (kg/m²)

BMI = weight in kilograms (kgs) ÷ height in metres squared (m²)

Record BMI as a percentage by plotting weight and height on a BMI chart or by using an online calculator. See Resource 1.

Measuring waist circumference
- Use a flexible paper measuring tape
- While standing straight, feet together and arms by sides, identify the persons waist i.e. mid-point between the base of the ribs and the top of the hipbone
- Place tape horizontal around the waist, snug against the skin (or light clothing) without pulling or compressing the skin
- Record measurement to the nearest centimetre (cm) as the person breathes out normally
Calculating waist-to-height ratio
- Divide waist circumference by height in centimetres (cm)

Table 1. Thresholds for overweight and obesity ^1–3
Classification	BMI (kg/m²)	Waist circumference (cm)		Waist-to-height ratio
Classification	BMI (kg/m²)	Women	Men	Waist-to-height ratio
Healthy range	18.5 – 24.9 18.5 – 22.9 *	< 80	< 94	0.4 – 0.49
Overweight	25 – 29.9 23 – 27.49 *	80 – 88	94 – 102	0.5 – 0.59
Obese class I	30 – 34.9 27.5 – 32.4 *	> 88 > 80 *	> 102 > 90 *	> 0.6
Obese class II	35 – 39.9 32.5 – 37.4 *	≥ 115	≥ 125	> 0.6
Obese class III	> 40 ≥ 37.5 *	≥ 115	≥ 125	> 0.6
* Values recommended for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Asian populations

Weight loss
- Unintentional weight loss can be an indicator of an acute or chronic illness
- If person answers ‘yes’ to recent unintended weight loss refer immediately for further investigations

Discuss the association between high body measurements and risk of chronic conditions e.g. Coronary heart disease, Diabetes, some cancers etc.
Discuss a weight loss > 5% reduces these risks
Provide Diet and nutrition related resources. See Resources 2–8.
See Overweight and obesity (adult)

Refer to the MO/NP or dietitian for further investigations if:
- records indicate or the person answered ‘yes’ to unintentionally losing weight
- thresholds of overweight or obesity are identified. See Table 2.

All Chronic Conditions Manual references are available via the downloadable References PDF

Last updated: September 2024