Possibility of a 20 Inch Waist

By: Jeremy Fox, CNC, CPT – Published: October 31, 2022

A small waist is often seen as a sign of beauty and physical fitness. But how small of a waist is realistic?

This article reviews waist size statistics to determine the likelihood of a 20-inch waist.

What is a 20 Inch Waist?

A 20 inch waist is a circumference measurement around the abdomen. And you can use this number for everything from buying clothing to assessing your risk for health problems like heart disease and diabetes.

But it’s critical to measure your waist correctly to know your true size.

How to Measure Your Waist

To check your waist size, you will need a flexible tape measure. First, wrap the tape measure around your waist parallel to the floor just above your hip bone.

Now pull the tape snug but not so tight that it indents into your skin. Also, take the reading at the end of a normal exhale but do not suck in your stomach. The number where the end of the tape intersects is your waist size.

Is It Possible to Have a 20 Inch Waist?

A 20 inch waist circumference has been achieved by a handful of women using corsets or cosmetic surgery. But it is highly unlikely that most adults could achieve this tiny waist size.

For males, it’s basically impossible except for young children. And even for females, a 20 inch waist is very rare.

20 Inch Waist for Women

The average waist size for American women is 35.6 inches. And a 25.4″ waist is considered smaller than 99% of females in the general population.

However, it’s important to remember that 3 out of 4 adult women in the US are overweight or obese. So does that mean a 20 inch waist is more attainable among a fit population?

A survey of women in the US Army, who are generally more fit, shows that their average waist size is 28.2 inches. And a 20 inch waist would still put you well below the 1st percentile.

In fact, out of 2,208 women measured for this survey, the smallest waist size was 22.36″. So a 20 inch waist is exceedingly rare, even among active women.

Table 1. Waist Size Percentile for Women

	Normal	Fitness
1st	25.4	23.9
5th	27.8	25.1
10th	28.9	25.7
15th	30.0	26.1
20th	30.7	26.5
25th	31.6	26.8
40th	33.9	27.7
50th	35.6	28.2
60th	37.2	28.9
75th	40.3	30.0
80th	41.5	30.5
85th	42.8	31.1
90th	44.7	31.9
95th	47.6	33.2
99th	53.8	35.8

20 Inch Waist for Men

If fewer than 1 in 2000 women has a 20 inch waist, then it must be almost impossible for adult men. Especially considering the average waist size for an American man is 38.2 inches or nearly double 20 inches!

Even among military men, the average waist size is 32.8 inches. And the smallest waist size measured out of 1,774 males was 25.47″. So that pretty much puts the nail in the coffin for a man with a 20 inch waist.

Table 2. Waist Size Percentiles for Men

	Normal	Fitness
1st	27.8	27.5
5th	30.0	28.7
10th	31.6	29.5
15th	32.8	30.0
20th	33.9	30.5
25th	34.8	31.0
40th	36.9	32.1
50th	38.2	32.8
60th	39.6	33.6
75th	42.2	35.0
80th	43.4	35.5
85th	44.8	36.2
90th	46.4	37.0
95th	49.5	38.2
99th	56.2	40.5

What Does a 20 Inch Waist Look Like?

Aleira Avendano is a Venezuelan model with 20 inch waist. However, her extreme shape results from cosmetic surgery and wearing a tight corset 23 hours a day.

In the video below, Aleira visits the doctor for an “exam” in which he takes her measurements. As you can see from the still frame, her waist actually measures about 53 cm or 20.9 inches around.

While this is closer to a 21 inch waist than a 20 inch waist, the measurement was taken over a layer of clothing. So her true waist size is a little smaller than that.

Nevertheless, you can see how 20 inches really is a tiny waist size.

A waist measuring 53 cm (20.9 inches).

Does Waist Training Work?

Videos and images of tiny-waisted models might make you think that “waist training” is the secret to an hourglass figure. This trend involves wearing corsets, slimming garments, or sweat belts to reduce your waistline.

But do these tricks really work, or is it just a clever marketing ploy to sell garments and goops? Check out my in-depth review of the Sweet Sweat Waist Trimmer to find out if it’s worth your time and money!

More Waist Size Statistics

Now you know that a 20 inch waist is extremely unlikely. So it’s better to set your sights on a more realistic waist size. Below are some additional waist circumference statistics to help you determine your ideal waist size.

How Small Is a 30 Inch Waist?

Average Waist Size for Men & Women

Average Neck Size & Why It Matters

Average Chest Size for Men

Arm Size Statistics for Males & Females

30 Inch Waist

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