A healthy BMI for adults is 18.5 to 24.9, whatever your height. Your healthy weight range depends on your height: at 5 feet it is about 95 to 128 pounds, while at 6 feet it is about 136 to 184 pounds. Use the chart below to find your range.
What Is a Healthy BMI?
Body mass index, or BMI, is a number calculated from your weight and height. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses the same adult categories for men and women, at every adult age from 20 onward.
| BMI | Category |
|---|---|
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5–24.9 | Healthy weight |
| 25.0–29.9 | Overweight |
| 30.0 and above | Obesity |
Obesity is divided further: Class 1 is 30.0–34.9, Class 2 is 35.0–39.9, and Class 3 (severe obesity) is 40.0 and above. For children aged 2 to 19, the CDC uses BMI-for-age percentiles instead of these adult cutoffs.
A healthy BMI is a range, not a single magic number. A BMI of 19.2 and a BMI of 24.1 are both healthy. BMI is a screening tool, not a diagnosis, so one number never tells the whole story about your health.
How Do I Find My Healthy Weight Range for My Height?
Your healthy weight range is the range of weights that puts your BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 at your height. The BMI formula in metric units is BMI = weight in kilograms ÷ height in metres squared. Turned around, it becomes healthy weight = BMI × height². Use 18.5 for the lower limit and 24.9 for the upper limit.
How to calculate your healthy weight range in 4 steps
- Measure your height accurately. Stand barefoot against a wall and measure to the nearest centimetre or quarter inch. A 2 cm error can shift BMI by about 0.5 points.
- Square your height. Multiply your height in metres by itself: 1.75 m × 1.75 m = 3.0625.
- Multiply by 18.5 for the lower limit. This is the lightest weight that still counts as a healthy BMI at your height.
- Multiply by 24.9 for the upper limit. This is the heaviest weight that still counts as a healthy BMI at your height.
In imperial units, BMI is (weight in pounds × 703) ÷ height in inches squared, so healthy weight in pounds is (BMI × height in inches squared) ÷ 703. A free BMI calculator does this arithmetic for you.
Worked Examples: Healthy Weight Ranges at Different Heights
Example 1: A person who is 1.75 m tall
Height squared is 1.75 × 1.75 = 3.0625. Lower limit: 18.5 × 3.0625 = 56.7 kg. Upper limit: 24.9 × 3.0625 = 76.3 kg. Healthy range: about 57 to 76 kg. At 70 kg, BMI is 70 ÷ 3.0625 = 22.9 (healthy).
Example 2: A person who is 1.70 m tall
Height squared is 1.70 × 1.70 = 2.89. Lower limit: 18.5 × 2.89 = 53.5 kg. Upper limit: 24.9 × 2.89 = 72.0 kg. Healthy range: about 54 to 72 kg. At 65 kg, BMI is 65 ÷ 2.89 = 22.5 (healthy).
Example 3: A person who is 5 feet 9 inches tall
Five feet 9 inches is 69 inches; 69 × 69 = 4,761. Lower limit: (18.5 × 4,761) ÷ 703 = 125 lb. Upper limit: (24.9 × 4,761) ÷ 703 = 169 lb. Healthy range: 125 to 169 lb. At 150 lb, BMI is (150 × 703) ÷ 4,761 = 22.2 (healthy).
Notice how wide each range is. At 5 feet 9 inches, the healthy range spans 44 pounds, from 125 to 169 lb. That width is normal: healthy bodies come in different builds, with different amounts of muscle and bone, at the same height. A person who is 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 150 lb has a BMI of 23.5, also healthy.
Healthy Weight Range Chart by Height (5’0″ to 6’4″)
Find your height below. The range shown gives a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 at that height, rounded to the nearest pound.
| Height | Healthy weight range (BMI 18.5–24.9) |
|---|---|
| 5’0″ | 95–128 lb |
| 5’1″ | 98–132 lb |
| 5’2″ | 101–136 lb |
| 5’3″ | 104–141 lb |
| 5’4″ | 108–145 lb |
| 5’5″ | 111–150 lb |
| 5’6″ | 115–154 lb |
| 5’7″ | 118–159 lb |
| 5’8″ | 122–164 lb |
| 5’9″ | 125–169 lb |
| 5’10” | 129–174 lb |
| 5’11” | 133–179 lb |
| 6’0″ | 136–184 lb |
| 6’1″ | 140–189 lb |
| 6’2″ | 144–194 lb |
| 6’3″ | 148–199 lb |
| 6’4″ | 152–205 lb |
Each extra inch of height adds roughly 3 to 5 pounds to both ends of the healthy range. The same weight can be healthy for a taller person and overweight for a shorter one. A body mass index calculator checks your own numbers in seconds, and it is free to use.
Why Is There a Range Instead of One Ideal Weight?
There is no single ideal weight for a given height, because BMI does not measure body composition. Two people who are both 5 feet 9 inches and 150 lb can look quite different — one more muscle, the other more body fat — yet both have a BMI of 22.2. Bone density, frame size, and muscle mass vary, and none shows up in the BMI formula.
Health risk also rises gradually, not at a sharp cliff edge. A BMI of 25.1 is only just over the line, while a BMI of 29.5 is close to the obesity threshold. Age matters too, even though the categories do not change with adult age: older adults tend to lose muscle and gain fat at the same weight, so the same BMI can mean more body fat at 65 than at 25.
What Should I Do If My Weight Is Outside the Healthy Range?
If your BMI is below 18.5
Being underweight can carry its own health risks, including low energy and a weakened immune system. If your BMI is below 18.5, talk to a doctor before trying to gain weight, especially if the weight loss was unintentional. A doctor can check for underlying causes and help you plan a safe way to gain weight through regular meals with enough protein and healthy fats.
If your BMI is 25.0 to 29.9
A BMI in the overweight range is a prompt to act, not a verdict. Small, steady changes work best: a modest calorie reduction, more daily movement, and strength training to protect muscle. Losing even 5 percent of your body weight — for example, 10 lb if you weigh 200 lb — can improve blood pressure, blood sugar, and joint strain. Re-check your BMI every month or two, using the same BMI calculator each time so results are comparable.
If your BMI is 30.0 or above
A BMI of 30 or above puts you in the obesity range, where the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions is higher. This is the point at which a conversation with a doctor is most valuable: a doctor can check blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol and discuss a structured plan. The goal is steady progress, not a crash diet.
What else should I check besides BMI?
Waist circumference is a useful companion measure, because it reflects belly fat, which carries more health risk than fat stored elsewhere. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, risk is elevated above 40 inches (102 cm) for men or above 35 inches (88 cm) for women. Measure at belly-button level, after breathing out, with the tape snug but not tight.
Common Mistakes When Checking Your Healthy BMI
- Guessing your height. Many people overestimate it by an inch or two, which makes BMI look lower than it really is. Measure it.
- Weighing yourself in heavy clothes or after a large meal. Weigh in the morning, in light clothing, after using the bathroom, for the most consistent reading.
- Treating the top of the range as a target. The healthy range is a zone, not a goal line. Being near either end is fine if your other health measures are good.
- Using adult cutoffs for children. For ages 2 to 19, the CDC uses BMI-for-age percentiles, not 18.5 and 24.9.
- Panicking over a single reading. Weight fluctuates by 1 to 2 pounds day to day. Look at the trend over weeks, not one morning’s number.
The Bottom Line
A healthy BMI is 18.5 to 24.9 for every adult, but your healthy weight range depends on your height. Work it out with weight = BMI × height², or find your height in the chart above. Inside your range, aim to stay there; outside it, make small steady changes and talk to a doctor if your BMI is well outside the range.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a healthy BMI for my height?
A healthy BMI is 18.5 to 24.9 for all adults aged 20 and over, at any height. Your healthy weight range in pounds or kilograms depends on your height, so check the chart above for your height.
What is a healthy weight for 5’5″?
For 5 feet 5 inches, the healthy weight range is about 111 to 150 lb (BMI 18.5 to 24.9).
What is a healthy weight for 5’9″?
For 5 feet 9 inches, the healthy weight range is about 125 to 169 lb. At 150 lb, BMI is 22.2 (healthy).
How do I calculate my healthy weight range?
Square your height in metres, then multiply by 18.5 and by 24.9. At 1.75 m, that gives 57 to 76 kg.
Is a BMI of 25 bad?
A BMI of 25.0 is just inside the overweight range, so it is a prompt to pay attention rather than a serious problem on its own. Small lifestyle changes and a re-check in a few months are sensible.
Does healthy BMI change with age?
No. The CDC adult categories are the same at every adult age, but body composition changes with age, so the same BMI can mean more body fat in an older adult. Waist circumference is a useful extra check.