\setupmathfractions[strut=character]

\starttext

\input tufte

\startitemize[packed]
    \startitem  whatever $\frac{1}{2}$ whatever
    \startitem  whatever $\frac{1}{2}$ whatever
    \startitem  whatever $\frac{1}{2}$ whatever
\stopitemize

\inleft[method=top,threshold=-2ex] {foo}

\dorecurse{10}{\dorecurse{#1}{whatever }$\frac{1}{2}$ }

\input tufte

\stoptext
