In the past it was pretty easy to find tables of recommended healthy body weights. Not so much anymore. Most of the experts want you calculate your body mass index, recommending the healthy BMI range as 18.5 to 24.9. I just spent an hour putting together a healthy weight range based on BMIs. Since I have many readers outside the U.S., I use both U.S. customary and metric numbers.
Metropolitan Life Insurance 
Company last published its ideal weight and height table in 1983. The US Department of Agriculture abondoned its 1995 healthy weight table by the turn of the century recommending BMI calculation instead. Of note is that the upper end of its weight ranges was a BMI of 25; the lower ends were all BMIs of 19.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared (kg/m2). A pound equals 2.2 kilograms. A pound equals about 454 grams (453.6 to be exact). An inch equals 2.54 centimeters. There are 100 centimeters in one meter. Thus, a 5-foot, 4-inch woman (1.63 meters) weighing 200 pounds (91 kilograms) has a BMI of 34.2. Perhaps you’re starting to understand why this weight standard isn’t too popular yet.
To learn your own BMI but skip the math, use an online calculator.
To see if your BMI is in the healthy range of 18.5 to 24.9, find your height in the table below, then look to the healhy weight ranges to the right. Measure your height without shoes and weight without clothes.
Table of Healthy Weight Ranges Based On Body Mass Index: 18.5 to 24.9
Height Weight in lb Weight in kg
5’0” or 152 cm 95 – 128 43.0 – 58.0
5’1” or 155 cm 98 – 132 44.4 – 59.8
5’2” or 157 cm 101 – 137 45.8 – 62.1
5’3” or 160 cm 105 – 141 47.6 – 63.9
5’4” or 163 cm 108 – 146 48.9 – 66.2
5’5” or 165 mc 111 – 150 50.3 – 68.0
5’6” or 168 cm 115 – 155 52.0 – 70.3
5’7” or 170 cm 118 – 160 53.5 – 72.5
5’8” or 173 cm 122 – 164 55.3 – 74.3
5’9” or 175 cm 125 – 169 51.7 – 76.6
5’10” or 178 cm 129 – 174 58.5 – 78.9
5’11” or 180 cm 133 – 179 60.3 – 81.8
6’0” or 183 cm 137 – 184 62.1 – 83.4
6’1” or 185 cm 140 – 189 63.5 – 85.7
6’2” or 188 cm 144 – 195 65.3 – 88.4
6’3” or 191 cm 148 – 200 67.1 – 90.7
6’4” or 193 cm 152 – 205 68.9 – 92.9
BMIs between 25 and 29.9 designate “overweight” and accurately describe about 35 percent of the United States population.
A BMI of 30 or higher defines “obesity” and indicates high risk for poor health. About 30 percent of us are obese. At a BMI of 35 and above, incidence of death and disease increases sharply.
The BMI concept is helpful to researchers and obesity clinicians, but the number doesn’t mean much yet to the average person on the street and to many physicians. It should be used more widely. (I know, I know: it’s not perfect. Do you have a better, cheap, widely applicable alternative?) Know your BMI. If it’s under 25, any excess fat you carry is unlikely to affect your health and longevity; your efforts to lose weight would be purely cosmetic.
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