In large-scale population surveys and public health screenings, the use of simple anthropometric indices has become popular for identifying individuals who are overweight and obesity. Waist circumference (WC) has been extensively investigated as an indicator of abdominal obesity and health risks among adults. However, standardized protocols for WC measurement have yet to be established. PURPOSE: This study aims to determine relationship between body fat and different WC sites in Chinese adults.| METHODS: A total of 213 Chinese adults aged 18-35years old participated in the study. WC was measured at five sites: immediately above the iliac crest (WC1), immediately below the lowest rib (WC2), midpoint between the lowest rib and the iliac crest (WC3), 1 cm above the umbilicus (WC4), and at the narrowest waist (WC5). Body fat mass (FM), body fat percentage (%BF), abdominal fat mass (FM in abdominal) and abdominal percentage fat (%BF in abdominal) were determined through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the relationships of WCs with FM, %BF, FM in abdominal, and %BF in abdominal. Levels of significance were set at P < 0.05.| RESULTS: For males, the measured WCs were strongly correlated with FM and FM in abdominal (p < 0.001), and significantly correlated with %BF and %BF in abdominal (p < 0.001). For females, the WCs were significantly correlated with FM, %BF, and %BF in abdominal (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The WCs were correlated significantly with FM, %BF, FM in abdominal, and %BF in abdominal both in Chinese males and in Chinese females.