Fitness & Health · Live
Healthy Weight Calculator,
by height.
Enter your height to instantly see the healthy weight range for your body, based on WHO BMI standards. Optionally add your current weight to see your BMI, category, and how far you are from the healthy zone.
Inputs
Your measurements
Optional
Healthy weight range
56.7 – 76.3 kg
BMI 18.5 – 24.9
Healthy weight range
BMI 18.5 – 24.9
Midpoint: 66.5 kg (BMI 21.7)
BMI scale
Where you sit in the spectrum
Reference table
Weight at each BMI for your height
| BMI | Category | kg | lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Severe thinness | 45.9 | 101.3 |
| 17 | Mild thinness | 52.1 | 114.8 |
| 18.5 | Healthy min ↓ ✓ | 56.7 | 124.9 |
| 20 | Healthy | 61.3 | 135 |
| 21.7 | Healthy midpoint | 66.5 | 146.5 |
| 24.9 | Healthy max ↑ ✓ | 76.3 | 168.1 |
| 25 | Overweight | 76.6 | 168.8 |
| 27.5 | Overweight | 84.2 | 185.7 |
| 30 | Obese class I | 91.9 | 202.5 |
| 35 | Obese class II | 107.2 | 236.3 |
| 40 | Obese class III | 122.5 | 270.1 |
Complete guide
What is a healthy weight?
A healthy weight is a body weight associated with a reduced risk of weight-related health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and sleep apnoea. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) use Body Mass Index (BMI) as the primary population-level screening tool, with a range of 18.5 to 24.9 defined as normal weight for adults aged 20 and older.
Healthy weight is always expressed as a range, not a single number, because human bodies vary enormously in bone density, muscle mass, and frame size. The healthy BMI range at any given height spans roughly 30–35% of total body weight — substantial room for normal variation.
The healthy weight formula
Given height in metres, the healthy weight range is derived directly from the BMI formula:
Healthy minimum = 18.5 × height (m)²
Healthy maximum = 24.9 × height (m)²
Example: height 5′9″ (1.753 m):
Min = 18.5 × 1.753² = 18.5 × 3.073 = 56.8 kg (125.4 lb)
Max = 24.9 × 1.753² = 24.9 × 3.073 = 76.5 kg (168.7 lb)
Healthy weight ranges by height: full reference table
The table below shows the WHO healthy weight range (BMI 18.5–24.9) for every common adult height. All values are for adults aged 20 and older; children and adolescents use age- and sex-specific percentiles.
| Height | Min (lb) | Max (lb) | Min (kg) | Max (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4′10″ (147 cm) | 91 | 123 | 41.3 | 55.8 |
| 4′11″ (150 cm) | 94 | 127 | 42.7 | 57.5 |
| 5′0″ (152 cm) | 97 | 132 | 44.1 | 59.9 |
| 5′1″ (155 cm) | 101 | 136 | 45.8 | 61.7 |
| 5′2″ (157 cm) | 104 | 141 | 47.2 | 64.0 |
| 5′3″ (160 cm) | 107 | 145 | 48.5 | 65.8 |
| 5′4″ (163 cm) | 111 | 150 | 50.3 | 68.0 |
| 5′5″ (165 cm) | 114 | 154 | 51.7 | 69.9 |
| 5′6″ (168 cm) | 118 | 159 | 53.5 | 72.1 |
| 5′7″ (170 cm) | 121 | 163 | 54.9 | 73.9 |
| 5′8″ (173 cm) | 125 | 169 | 56.7 | 76.6 |
| 5′9″ (175 cm) | 128 | 173 | 58.1 | 78.5 |
| 5′10″ (178 cm) | 132 | 178 | 59.9 | 80.7 |
| 5′11″ (180 cm) | 136 | 183 | 61.7 | 83.0 |
| 6′0″ (183 cm) | 140 | 189 | 63.5 | 85.7 |
| 6′1″ (185 cm) | 144 | 194 | 65.3 | 88.0 |
| 6′2″ (188 cm) | 148 | 200 | 67.1 | 90.7 |
| 6′3″ (191 cm) | 152 | 205 | 68.9 | 93.0 |
| 6′4″ (193 cm) | 156 | 211 | 70.8 | 95.7 |
| 6′5″ (196 cm) | 160 | 216 | 72.6 | 98.0 |
| 6′6″ (198 cm) | 164 | 221 | 74.4 | 100.3 |
Based on WHO BMI 18.5–24.9 for adults aged 20+. Values rounded to nearest whole number (lb) or 0.1 kg.
How BMI defines the healthy range
BMI translates weight relative to height into a single comparable number. For adults, the WHO classification is:
- Below 18.5: Underweight (ranging from mild thinness at 17–18.5 to severe thinness below 16)
- 18.5–24.9: Normal weight (the healthy range)
- 25.0–29.9: Overweight
- 30.0–34.9: Obese class I
- 35.0–39.9: Obese class II
- ≥ 40: Obese class III
The healthy range spans a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9, a gap of 6.4 BMI units that translates to roughly 20 kg (44 lbs) at 5′9″. This is a wide band, acknowledging the natural variation in body composition among healthy adults.
Limitations of BMI as a health measure
BMI is a population screening tool. It works well at the group level but can misclassify individuals. Its most common limitations:
- Muscle mass. BMI doesn't distinguish fat from muscle. A competitive bodybuilder or elite athlete may have a BMI over 25 with very low body fat, technically "overweight" by BMI but metabolically healthy.
- Fat distribution. BMI tells you nothing about where fat is stored. Abdominal (visceral) fat carries far more metabolic risk than subcutaneous fat elsewhere. Two people with identical BMIs can have very different cardiovascular risk profiles.
- Bone density. Denser bones weigh more. A person with very dense bones may register a higher BMI without any excess fat.
- Sex and ethnicity. For the same BMI, women typically have a higher body fat percentage than men. Some Asian populations face higher metabolic risk at lower BMI values; the WHO now recommends a lower normal upper threshold (23 instead of 25) for certain Asian populations.
- Age. Older adults may maintain health at a slightly higher BMI, partly because lean mass declines with age. The standard 18.5–24.9 range was derived primarily from young and middle-aged adult populations.
For a more complete picture, clinicians often pair BMI with waist circumference (risk increases above 40 in / 102 cm for men, 35 in / 88 cm for women) and waist-to-height ratio (keep your waist less than half your height for optimal cardiometabolic health).
Healthy weight for children and adolescents
The BMI scale for children (ages 2–19) works differently. Instead of fixed categories, the CDC uses BMI-for-age percentile charts that account for normal changes in body composition as children grow:
- Below the 5th percentile: Underweight
- 5th to below 85th percentile: Healthy weight
- 85th to below 95th percentile: Overweight
- 95th percentile and above: Obese
These charts are sex-specific because boys and girls grow at different rates. A paediatrician's growth chart, not the adult BMI formula, is the correct reference for anyone under 20. This calculator flags a pediatric note when age under 20 is entered.
How to move toward and maintain a healthy weight
Research consistently shows that sustainable weight change comes from modest, consistent lifestyle shifts rather than extreme interventions. Evidence-based strategies:
- Caloric balance. A 500-calorie daily deficit produces approximately 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week. The same surplus builds weight at a similar rate.
- Protein intake. Higher protein (1.2–1.6 g/kg body weight/day) supports muscle retention during weight loss and increases satiety compared to equivalent carbohydrate or fat.
- Resistance training. Preserves lean muscle mass during caloric restriction and increases resting metabolic rate long-term, compounding calorie expenditure.
- Sleep. Chronic short sleep (under 7 hours) disrupts appetite hormones (ghrelin rises, leptin falls) and significantly increases the difficulty of maintaining a caloric deficit.
- Tracking. People who weigh themselves weekly and log food intake consistently lose more weight than those who don't, not because of magic, but because awareness drives behaviour change.
Disclaimer
This calculator is for educational purposes only. BMI is a population-level screening tool and does not diagnose any medical condition. Individual healthy weight may differ based on muscle mass, bone density, sex, age, ethnicity, and other factors. Consult a healthcare provider for personalised guidance on weight and health.