What’s a healthy weight for my height?
For most adults, any weight giving a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. At 5ft 5in, that’s 51 to 67 kg. But for some family backgrounds, overweight starts sooner: about 5 kg lighter at 5ft 5in.
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What is a healthy weight for my height?
For most adults, NICE puts a healthy weight at a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. Your healthy weight is every weight that keeps you inside that band.
So it’s a range, not one number. Find your height below.
| Height | Healthy weight | Overweight from, some backgrounds (BMI 23) |
|---|---|---|
| 4ft 11in (150 cm) | 42 to 55 kg (6st 8lb to 8st 11lb) | About 52 kg (8st 2lb) |
| 5ft 1in (155 cm) | 45 to 59 kg (7st to 9st 5lb) | About 55 kg (8st 10lb) |
| 5ft 3in (160 cm) | 48 to 63 kg (7st 7lb to 10st) | About 59 kg (9st 4lb) |
| 5ft 5in (165 cm) | 51 to 67 kg (8st to 10st 9lb) | About 63 kg (9st 12lb) |
| 5ft 7in (170 cm) | 54 to 72 kg (8st 7lb to 11st 4lb) | About 67 kg (10st 7lb) |
| 5ft 9in (175 cm) | 57 to 76 kg (9st to 12st) | About 71 kg (11st 2lb) |
| 5ft 11in (180 cm) | 61 to 80 kg (9st 7lb to 12st 10lb) | About 75 kg (11st 11lb) |
| 6ft 1in (185 cm) | 64 to 85 kg (10st 1lb to 13st 6lb) | About 79 kg (12st 6lb) |
| 6ft 3in (190 cm) | 68 to 90 kg (10st 9lb to 14st 3lb) | About 83 kg (13st 2lb) |
Sources: NICE NG246; NHS
Weights are rounded so they stay inside the range. Between two rows? Your range sits between theirs.
Found your row? Check the last column next. It may be the line that applies to you.
How do I calculate my ideal weight?
You only need your height. The NHS works out BMI as weight in kg divided by height in metres squared. Run that sum backwards and you get your range.
Your healthy weight in four steps
- 1
Height in metres
5ft 7in is about 1.70 m.
- 2
Square it
1.70 x 1.70 = 2.89.
- 3
Bottom of the range
2.89 x 18.5 = 53.5 kg.
- 4
Top of the range
2.89 x 24.9 = 72.0 kg.
Sources: NHS; NICE NG246
Some calculators give one “ideal body weight” instead. Those formulas grew out of old height-weight tables, and are used to work out doses of some medicines. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.
The NHS and NICE use the BMI range. So aim to stay inside it, not to hit one exact number.
Why can my healthy weight be lower?
NICE says people with a South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean background tend to carry more fat round the middle. Their risk of heart disease and diabetes starts at a lower BMI.
So for them, overweight starts at a BMI of 23, not 25. That’s the BMI 23 line, the last column in the chart.
At 5ft 5in, it moves the start of overweight from about 68 kg to about 63 kg. That’s the 5 kg.
If this is your background, treat the last column as your top line. Obesity also starts sooner, at 27.5. See what each BMI number means.
What is a healthy weight for a 5ft 5in woman?
For most adults at 5ft 5in, it’s about 51 to 67 kg, or 8st to 10st 9lb.
NICE gives one set of BMI lines for adults, not one for women and one for men. So a 5ft 5in man has the same range.
- Below 50.4 kgBelow the healthy range.
- 50.4 to just under 68.1 kgHealthy weight.
- 68.1 to just under 81.8 kgOverweight.
- 81.8 kg or aboveObesity.
Sources: NICE NG246; NHS
Not 5ft 5in? Use the four steps above with your own height, or find your row in the chart.
BMI can’t tell muscle from fat. With a lot of muscle, you may show as overweight or obese despite having low body fat.
So check your waist too. The NHS says to try to keep your waist to less than half your height.
If your BMI is under 35, you can use its waist to height ratio calculator. Here’s how to measure your waist.
What if I’m above or below my healthy weight?
Six NHS steps towards your range
- Above it? Aim to lose weight steadily, at 0.5 to 1 kg (1 to 2 lb) a week.
- To lose weight, get active for 45 to 60 minutes a day. You can break it into shorter sessions.
- Cut down on alcohol and on high-fat or sugary foods.
- Weigh yourself regularly to see how you’re getting on.
- Below it? Gain gradually by adding around 300 to 500 extra calories a day.
- Eat smaller meals more often, and build muscle with strength training or yoga.
Sources: NHS: overweight and obesity; NHS: gain weight
You don’t have to reach the range to get a benefit. The NHS says losing just 5 to 10% of your body weight can improve your health. At 90 kg, that’s 4.5 to 9 kg.
Losing weight? Keep your strength up with these ways to hold on to muscle.
Gaining? Try these healthy weight gain foods.
Aged 65 or over? NICE says to read BMI with caution, as a slightly higher BMI may be protective when older. Ask your GP what range suits you.
Pregnant, under 18, have a condition that affects your height, or have (or think you have) an eating disorder? The NHS says its adult BMI tool is not for you. If you’re worried about your weight, ask a pharmacist or your GP surgery.
When to speak to a GP
The NHS says to see a GP if:
- Your BMI is overweight or obese and you want help to lose weight, or obesity runs in your family.
- Your BMI is overweight or obese and your waist is more than half your height.
- Your BMI is overweight or obese and you have pre-diabetes, diabetes, high blood pressure, joint pain, high cholesterol, sleep apnoea (breathing that stops and starts as you sleep) or heart and circulation disease.
- You’ve lost weight suddenly, or without changing what you eat or how much you exercise.
- You use control of food to cope with feelings, or think you may have an eating disorder, such as binge eating.
For eating disorder support, you can also call the Beat helpline on 0808 801 0677.
Putting on weight without trying? See blood tests for unexplained weight gain.