Overview
- A Defense Department memo released Monday replaces height-and-weight tables with waist-to-height ratio as the primary body composition measure.
- The policy sets an upper allowable WHtR of less than 0.55 and defines body-fat ranges of 18–26% for men and 26–36% for women.
- All service members will be evaluated twice per year; those at 0.55 or higher receive further testing and, if over limits, remedial programs, medical referral, and possible promotion holds or separation.
- Implementation varies by service: the Navy has adopted the standard, the Air Force will score it within its fitness test, the Space Force will use a separate pass/fail measure, and the Army and Marine Corps are preparing plans.
- Officials and medical experts say emphasizing abdominal fat better aligns with cardiometabolic risk and responds to long-standing fairness concerns with tape tests that misclassified muscular troops.