Britain's Smallest Waist Measures Just 15.7 inches (40 cm)

Nerina Orton, of Birmingham, UK, dreams of having the smallest waist in the world. Nerina is only 22 years old and, at a 15.7 inch waist (40 cm), she is well on her way to achieving her desired size.

Nerina has been wearing a corset since she was 14 years old, Daily Mail reports. There are health risks associated with her obsession. The woman's body has adapted and grown with her wearing a corset, so every time she takes it off she feels her intestines moving, trying to retrieve a more natural position.

“My ribs have moved closer together, so the doctor checks my spine to make sure it hasn't moved out of line or fractured. [...] My insides move around a lot too, so the doctor checks that my organs aren't being damaged. I've never had a problem though, apart from feeling a little light-headed,” she says.

A part-time dancer dabbling in the burlesque genre, she even wears her beloved corsets to sleep. While others look for comfortable jammies, she wears a custom corset during the night.

“Sleeping in the corset was uncomfortable at first. I felt like I had a rod lined up against my back and I couldn't curl up into a ball. Then I had a corset custom made, which was a lot more comfortable and fit my shape better,” Nerina says.

Without a corset, Nerina's waist actually measures 22 inch (56 cm).  

“I’ve managed to take six inches (15 cm) off my waist, but I know that each inch after that can take up to a year to achieve. 'Wearing a corset makes me feel so feminine and it's a great way for a skinny girl to get some hips.”

Her goal is to break American Cathie Jung' record. A corset enthusiast from Connecticut, Mrs. Jung wears a corset 24 hours per day and has managed to get her waist down to 15 inches (38.1 cm). At 1.65 m (5 ft 6 in) tall, she is the current holder of the Guinness World Records title for “Smallest Waist on a Living Person.”