U.S. Coast Guard Body Composition Standards (2026)
The Coast Guard 2026 body-composition program explained: the WHtR gate, body-fat limits by age and sex, high-performer allowances, and the official source.
By The VivMetric Editorial Team · independent editorial research project
The 2026 screen
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.
WHtR gate
The initial pass line is below 0.55. On December 18, 2025, the U.
Body-fat limits by age and sex
Age Under 30: max 22% body fat (men), 32% (women). Age Under 40: max 24% body fat (men), 34% (women). Age 40+: max 26% body fat (men), 36% (women).
Where this standard sits
The initial screen is a waist-to-height ratio below 0.55, and the body-fat table is age-normed: across 3 bands the men’s limit moves 4 percentage points and the women’s 4. That is why the allowance printed for one person is not the allowance applied to another: the band matching the individual governs, and a reading that fails for one service member can pass for a colleague at a different age. Confirm the applicable band and the measurement protocol with your command before an official assessment.
Source
Coast Guard Body Composition Standards Program (updated Feb 2025) — https://www.uscg.mil/. Data retrieved 2026-08-19.
Check yourself against the Coast Guard standard
Unknown tool.
Quick answers
Related pages
- Standards detail → /standards
- Standards detail → /standards/coast-guard
- WHtR detail → /whtr
- Tool page → /tools/body-composition-check