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Calculate your body mass index (BMI) Check an adult's or child's BMI to find out if they're a healthy weight. It's important to use the right calculator for adults (aged 18 and over) or children and teenagers (aged between 2 and 17).
- Overview
- Body mass index (BMI)
- What is the recommended weight for my height?
- Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)
- Waist-to-height ratio
- Body fat percentage
- Frequently asked questions
- Takeaway
Many people wish to know the answer to this question: how much should I weigh? There is no single ideal weight for all individuals. While various tools and calculators offer a guide, they may not be accurate in all cases.
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.
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Tools to calculate a moderate weight range rely on factors such as age, height, and sex assigned at birth. However, everybody is different, and no single formula can determine a person’s ideal weight.
No one measure of body size can tell a person their exact health status or potential health risks. Eating a nutritious, balanced diet, exercising, and other lifestyle habits can support improved health regardless of a person’s weight.
BMI is a common tool that measures a person’s weight in relation to their height. A BMI calculation provides a single number, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) categorizes as follows:
•A BMI of less than 18.5 suggests underweight.
•A BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 suggests a healthy weight range.
•A BMI of between 25 and 29.9 may indicate overweight.
•A BMI of 30 or higher may indicate obesity.
However, the CDC also notes that BMI does not assess an individual’s body composition or their health. It is a screening tool that people should use alongside other tests and assessments to determine potential health risks.
The following weight and height chart uses BMI tables from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide a general guideline for categories of moderate (“normal”) weight, overweight, obesity, and severe obesity.
BMI is just one tool to understand body size, and it does not account for all of the ways that people’s bodies may differ. A person can talk with their doctor if they have questions about calculating or interpreting their BMI score.
A person’s WHR compares their waist size with that of their hips. A high WHR is has associations with higher levels of visceral fat, the fat in the abdominal cavity that surrounds several major organs.
For this reason, the WHR can be a useful tool for understanding potential health risks when considered alongside other assessments of health status.
The waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) is another tool to assess body size. It compares a person’s waist circumference to their height.
According to 2015 research, higher WtHR has associations with worse cholesterol and blood pressure, even at a healthy BMI. For this reason, WtHR may be helpful when assessing health risk when used along with other measures of health.
Body fat percentage is the weight of a person’s fat divided by their total weight. This includes fat found in many different parts of the body.
Body fat is necessary for the human body to function. An individual needs a type called essential fat to survive — it is critical for the development of the brain, bone marrow, nerves, and membranes.
How much should you weigh for your age?
Body mass index (BMI) measurements do not take into account a person’s age. Therefore, based on BMI, it is not possible to suggest an ideal weight for a person’s age. Rather, a person’s ideal BMI is based on their weight and height.
How do I determine my ideal weight?
One method a person can use to determine their ideal weight is body mass index (BMI) measurements. This involves dividing a person’s weight (in kilograms) by the square of their height (in meters) to arrive at a BMI score.
What is a good weight for a 5′ 4″ female?
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a good weight for a person who is 5 foot (ft) 4 inches (in) tall ranges from 110–140 pounds (lbs).
An ideal body weight can mean different things to different people.
BMI, WHR, WtHR, and body-fat percentage are four ways of assessing weight status. Combining results from them may be the best way to get an accurate idea of whether a person’s body size is considered moderate.
However, body size alone does not offer a complete picture of a person’s health.
Anyone with concerns about their weight, waist size, or body composition should speak with a doctor about their individual health and how to manage any potential risk factors.
- Yvette Brazier
Apr 21, 2023 · This article discusses healthy weight ranges and BMI in older adults, keeping mind that BMI is an imperfect and controversial metric. It explains how much you should weigh if you are over 65 and provides a BMI calculator and weight chart for seniors. BMI is a dated, flawed measure.
Jan 12, 2024 · Generally, people who carry much more weight than a weight chart suggests they should—or have a higher body mass index (BMI) than a chart indicates is typical for their height—more often...
- Victoria Clayton
- You can check your BMI to determine if you’re in the ideal weight range for your height and weight. Simply enter your age, height and weight to det...
- Your BMI measures your body fat in relation to your height and weight and provides a look into your weight status. Consider the following BMI range...
- Some research suggests that there may be different height growth patterns between some teens and young adults who are normal weight compared to tho...
- As you age, your body’s metabolism—the way your body converts food into energy—changes, meaning you may need more or fewer calories to maintain an...
This calculator computes the body mass index and rates it appropriately for men, women, children, juveniles and seniors. The SBMI – an index that has been developed four years ago especially for this calculator – serves for this purpose.
Jul 26, 2022 · For women: ideal body weight (in kilograms) = 49kg + 1.7kg for each inch over 5 feet; For men: ideal body weight (in kilograms) = 52kg + 1.9kg for each inch over 5 feet
People also ask
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BMI Chart and Table. Use the BMI chart to check your BMI against the World Health Organization's official classifications, as an indicator of whether you might be considered over or under weight. The BMI chart is interactive, meaning that you can use the form to calculate your BMI and enable a marker to be positioned over the chart.
