Health Column
Waist Circumference 90 and 85 (Korean Criteria): What the Numbers Tell You
Even at the same weight, health risk differs depending on where fat is stored. That is why, for metabolic health, we look at waist circumference as well as weight.
Abdominal obesity criteria for Koreans
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) defines abdominal obesity as a waist circumference of 90 cm or more for men and 85 cm or more for women. This is also one of the five criteria used to diagnose metabolic syndrome.
How common is it?
According to the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO)’s 2026 Obesity Fact Sheet (based on 2024 data), 1 in 4 adults (24.9%) in Korea has abdominal obesity. Among people with diabetes, this share rises to 61.2% (Korean Diabetes Association, 2024).
How to measure correctly
- Measure while standing in a relaxed posture, after breathing out.
- Wrap the tape measure horizontally around your body so that it passes through the midpoint between the bottom of your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone.
- Measure on bare skin, not over clothes, and at the same time of day so that you can compare changes.
- KDCA National Health Information Portal, “Obesity”
- Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO), 2026 Obesity Fact Sheet (based on 2024 data) — figures from news reports
- Korean Diabetes Association (KDA), Diabetes Fact Sheets in Korea 2024 (Diabetes Metab J 2025;49:24-33), based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2021–2022