ISLAMABAD, Feb 23 (Online): Many people wish to know the answer to this question: how much should I weigh? There is no single ideal weight for all individuals, but various tools and calculators can offer a guide.
A note about sex and gender
Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article will use the terms “male,” “female,” or both to refer to sex assigned at birth. Click here to learn more.
Everybody is different, and various factors play a role in determining each person’s ideal weight. These factors can be biological, such as age, height, and natal sex, but mental factors can be just as important.
An individual may define their ideal weight as the one with which they feel the most comfortable.
However, maintaining a moderate weight can reduce a person’s risk of developing a number of health conditions, including:
• obesity
• type 2 diabetes
• high blood pressure
• cardiovascular disease (CVD)
However, not everyone with excess weight will develop health issues. However, researchers believe that while this extra weight might not currently affect health, difficulties in managing weight could lead to problems in the future.
Read on to discover the different ways of working out a person’s ideal weight.
Body mass index (BMI)
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BMI is a common tool that measures a person’s weight in relation to their height. A BMI calculation provides a single number, which falls into the following categoriesTrusted Source:
• A BMI of less than 18.5 means a person is underweight.
• A BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is ideal.
• A BMI of between 25 and 29.9 is overweight.
• A BMI over 30 indicates obesity.
Body mass index calculator
To calculate BMI, a person can use BMI calculators or review the charts below.
BMI Calculator
Units:
U.S. (Imperial) Metric
Height:
Feet
Inches
Weight:
Pounds
CALCULATE
This BMI calculator is for informational purposes only. Consult a healthcare provider before making health decisions. BMI is an indirect assessment of health risk and may not be accurate because it cannot determine the proportion or distribution of body fat. BMI calculator source: National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Weight and height guide chart
The following weight and height chart uses BMI tables from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)Trusted Source to determine how much a person’s weight should be for their height.
Height Normal weight
BMI 19–24 Overweight
BMI 25–29 Obesity
BMI 30–39 Severe obesity
BMI 40+
4 ft 10 in
(58 in) 91–115 lb 119–138 lb 143–186 lb 191–258 lb
4 ft 11 in
(59 in) 94–119 lb 124–143 lb 148–193 lb 198–267 lb
5ft
(60 in”) 97–123 lb 128–148 lb 153–199 lb 204–276 lb
5 ft 1 in
(61 in) 100–127 lb 132–153 lb 158–206 lb 211–285 lb
5 ft 2 in
(62 in) 104–131 lb 136–158 lb 164–213 lb 218–295 lb
5 ft 3 in
(63 in) 107–135 lb 141–163 lb 169–220 lb 225–304 lb
5 ft 4 in
(64 in) 110–140 lb 145–169 lb 174–227 lb 232–314 lb
5 ft 5 in
(65 in) 114–144 lb 150–174 lb 180–234 lb 240–324 lb
5 ft 6 in
(66 in) 118–148 lb 155–179 lb 186–241 lb 247–334 lb
5 ft 7 in
(67 in) 121–153 lb 159–185 lb 191–249 lb 255–344 lb
5 ft 8 in
(68 in) 125–158 lb 164–190 lb 197–256 lb 262–354 lb
5 ft 9 in
(69 in) 128–162 lb 169–196 lb 203–263 lb 270–365 lb
5 ft 10 in
(70 in) 132–167 lb 174–202 lb 209–271 lb 278–376 lb
5 ft 11 in
(71 in) 136–172 lb 179–208 lb 215–279 lb 286–386 lb
6 ft
(72 in) 140–177 lb 184–213 lb 221–287 lb 294–397 lb
6 ft 1 in
(73 in) 144–182 lb 189–219 lb 227–295 lb 302–408 lb
6 ft 2 in
(74 in) 148–186 lb 194–225 lb 233–303 lb 311–420 lb
6 ft 3 in
(75 in) 152–192 lb 200–232 lb 240–311 lb 319–431 lb
6 ft 4 in
(76 in) 156–197 lb 205–238 lb 246–320 lb 328–443 lb
BMI based on age
Age is not a factor in BMI for adults, but it is for children. This is because they are growing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source use both age and natal sex in its BMI calculations for people between the ages of 2–19 years.
To calculate a child’s BMI, a person can use the CDC’s calculatorTrusted Source for children and teenagers.
The CDC’s BMI charts for children use percentiles that compare measurements with boysTrusted Source and girlsTrusted Source of the same age and gender.
What is the problem with BMI?
BMI is a very simple measurement. While it takes height into consideration, it does not account for factors such as:
• waist or hip measurements
• the proportion or distribution of fat
• the proportion of muscle mass
These factors can affect health. For example, high-performance athletes tend to be very fit and have little body fat. They can have a high BMI because they have more muscle mass, but this does not mean they weigh too much for their height.
Another limitation of BMI is that it does not distinguish between people of different ethnicities. Studies have shown that at the same BMI, non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, and Mexican Americans may have significantly different levelsTrusted Source of body fat.
This inaccuracy may lead to a misdiagnosis or an incorrect assessment of risk factors between individuals.
BMI can offer a rough idea of whether or not a person is at a moderate weight, and it is useful for measuring trends in population studies.
However, it should not be the only measure for an individual to assess whether their weight is ideal.
Learn more about the limitations of BMI.
Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)
A person’s WHR compares their waist size with that of their hips. A high WHR indicatesTrusted Source when an individual has higher levels of visceral fat, the fat in the abdominal cavity that surrounds several major organs.
Research has shown that people with a high WHR are more likely to develop CVD and diabetes.
The higher the waist measurement in proportion to the hips, the greater this risk. For this reason, the WHR is a useful tool for calculating whether a person has a moderate weight and size.
Measuring WHR
To calculate their WHR, a person should measure around their waist at the narrowest part, usually just above the belly button. They can then divide this measurement by the width of their hip at its widest part.
For example, if a person’s waist is 28 inches, and their hips are 36 inches, they will divide 28 by 36, giving a WHR of 0.77.
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