U.S. Coast Guard
COMDTINST M1020.8 — Body Composition & Physical Fitness · Verified 2026-08-19
How the screen works
Accession screen uses BMI 19.0–27.5; the primary in-service screen is abdominal circumference (Men ≤ 39 in, Women ≤ 35.5 in). Body-fat % applies if needed. The Coast Guard is aligning toward the DoD WHtR < 0.55 screen.
| Initial screen | Threshold | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) | must be < 0.55 | Below passes with no tape test; at or above → secondary body-fat evaluation |
| Abdominal circumference (primary) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum at navel | ≤ 39 in | ≤ 35.5 in |
Maximum allowable body-fat % (age / sex)
| Age group | Men (max %) | Women (max %) |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 | 22% | 32% |
| Under 40 | 24% | 34% |
| 40+ | 26% | 36% |
Fill in your own measurements — the worksheet prints with the official thresholds above.
Your worksheet (Coast Guard)
| Your metric | Value | Coast Guard gate | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waist-to-Height Ratio | 0.486 | < 0.55 | PASS |
| Est. body-fat % (Navy method) | 17.5% | ≤ 22% | PASS |
Source & verification
- Primary: Coast Guard Body Composition Standards Program (updated Feb 2025)
- Retrieved and verified: 2026-08-19. Standards change — confirm with the official regulation or your command.
Reading this Coast Guard scorecard
The sheet above is designed to be printed and carried, so it holds only what you need at the assessment: the screen, the thresholds, and the table you are measured against. This section adds the context that does not belong on a one-page printout.
The body-fat table is age-normed, which means the ceiling printed on your sheet is not the ceiling your colleague is measured against. Across the 3 bands here the men's limit runs from 22% to 26% and the women's from 32% to 36%. Knowing where your own band sits stops you from comparing your result against a number that was never meant to apply to you.
The screen on the sheet is a ratio rather than a weight, so a scale is not the tool you need for it. Bring a tape and know your height in the same unit. The gate of 0.55 translates to a waist below 38.5 inches at 70 inches tall, so measuring at home beforehand tells you whether a tape test is likely rather than leaving it to the day.
Source and verification: Coast Guard Body Composition Standards Program (updated Feb 2025), retrieved 2026-08-19. Standards change — treat this as a planning aid and confirm the implementation your unit or agency actually applies.