Weight charts tend to give one number, but a healthy weight is a band, not a point. This calculator shows the range of weights for your height that corresponds to a body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9, the normal weight band defined by the World Health Organization. It gives the range in kilograms, pounds and stones, picks out the weight at a BMI of 22 near the middle, and shows the upper limit on the more cautious Asian scale. If you enter your weight, it tells you how far you are from the edges.
BMI-based ranges describe average health risk in populations. They are a starting point for a conversation, not a verdict on any one person.
How to use the healthy weight range calculator
- Enter your height in centimetres, inches, feet or metres.
- Optionally enter your weight to see whether you are inside the range. Leave it at 0 to skip.
- Read the range and use the unit menus to switch between kilograms, pounds and stones.
- Look at the Asian upper limit if you are of South or East Asian background.
Healthy weight range formula
Lower end: BMI 18.5 · Upper end: BMI 24.9 · Middle: BMI 22
Asian-scale upper limit: BMI 22.9
1 stone = 14 pounds = 6.35 kg
The BMI limits are from the WHO Technical Report Series 894, Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic (2000), and the Asian action points from the WHO Expert Consultation, Lancet 2004;363:157–163. BMI = weight ÷ height² is the index described by Quetelet and named by Keys et al. (J Chronic Dis 1972;25:329–343).
Worked example
An adult who is 170 cm (1.70 m) tall.
- Height squared = 2.89.
- Lower end = 18.5 × 2.89 = 53.5 kg (118 lb, 8 st 6 lb).
- Upper end = 24.9 × 2.89 = 72.0 kg (159 lb, 11 st 5 lb).
- Middle of the range (BMI 22) = 63.6 kg.
- On the Asian scale the upper limit is 22.9 × 2.89 = 66.2 kg.
Healthy weight ranges by height
| Height | Healthy range (kg) | Healthy range (lb) | Healthy range (stone) | Upper limit, Asian scale (BMI 22.9) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 cm (4′11″) | 41.6 – 56.0 kg | 92 – 124 lb | 6 st 8 lb – 8 st 12 lb | 51.5 kg |
| 155 cm (5′1″) | 44.4 – 59.8 kg | 98 – 132 lb | 7 st 0 lb – 9 st 6 lb | 55.0 kg |
| 160 cm (5′3″) | 47.4 – 63.7 kg | 104 – 141 lb | 7 st 6 lb – 10 st 1 lb | 58.6 kg |
| 165 cm (5′5″) | 50.4 – 67.8 kg | 111 – 149 lb | 7 st 13 lb – 10 st 9 lb | 62.3 kg |
| 170 cm (5′7″) | 53.5 – 72.0 kg | 118 – 159 lb | 8 st 6 lb – 11 st 5 lb | 66.2 kg |
| 175 cm (5′9″) | 56.7 – 76.3 kg | 125 – 168 lb | 8 st 13 lb – 12 st 0 lb | 70.1 kg |
| 180 cm (5′11″) | 59.9 – 80.7 kg | 132 – 178 lb | 9 st 6 lb – 12 st 10 lb | 74.2 kg |
| 185 cm (6′1″) | 63.3 – 85.2 kg | 140 – 188 lb | 10 st 0 lb – 13 st 6 lb | 78.4 kg |
| 190 cm (6′3″) | 66.8 – 89.9 kg | 147 – 198 lb | 10 st 7 lb – 14 st 2 lb | 82.7 kg |
| 195 cm (6′5″) | 70.3 – 94.7 kg | 155 – 209 lb | 11 st 1 lb – 14 st 13 lb | 87.1 kg |
What the range does and does not tell you
- It is not a fat measure. A very muscular person can sit above the range with a healthy body fat level; check with the Body Fat Calculator.
- It ignores fat distribution. Fat carried around the waist adds risk even within the range; the Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator covers that.
- It does not vary with age. The same limits apply across adulthood, although some experts suggest older adults do well at the upper half.
- It differs from “ideal weight” formulas. Those give one number; see the Ideal Weight Calculator.
If you are outside the range
Being above or below the range does not by itself mean you have a health problem, but it is a reason to look at other measures such as waist size, blood pressure and blood sugar. If you want to move towards the range, steady changes work better than crash plans: the Weight Loss Calculator and Weight Gain Calculator estimate timelines, and the BMI Calculator shows the category itself. People who are underweight, pregnant or recovering from illness should seek advice before changing their weight.
This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice. Speak to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own situation.
Sources
- World Health Organization. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. WHO Technical Report Series 894, 2000.
- WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 2004;363:157–163.
- Keys A, et al. Indices of relative weight and obesity. J Chronic Dis 1972;25:329–343.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy weight range?
It is the range of weights for your height that corresponds to a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9, which the World Health Organization calls normal weight. For a 1.70 m adult that is about 53.5 to 72.0 kg (118 to 159 lb), a spread of nearly 20 kg.
Why is the range so wide?
Frame size, muscle mass and body shape vary a lot between people of the same height. The range reflects that the lowest average health risk across populations covers a band, not a single number.
What is the Asian upper limit?
A 2004 WHO expert consultation reported that risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease rises at lower BMI values in many Asian populations and proposed public-health action points at 23.0 and 27.5. The calculator shows the weight at a BMI of 22.9, just under the first of these.
Does the healthy range apply to older adults and athletes?
BMI categories are for adults and ignore muscle and age. Muscular athletes may exceed the range with little excess fat, and some research suggests slightly higher weights may be acceptable in older age. Talk to a clinician about your own target.
Should I aim for a particular weight in the range?
Not necessarily. Many people feel and function well at several points within it. The more useful goals are behaviour-based, such as being active and eating well, and clinical measures like blood pressure and blood sugar.