What is the healthy weight range for my height?

Healthy weight is defined as a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m². For a person who is 5'10" (178 cm), the healthy weight range is approximately 129 to 174 lbs (58.5 to 78.9 kg). The exact range depends only on height, not age or sex for adults 18 and older. Use the calculator above to find your specific range.

What BMI is considered healthy?

The WHO defines a healthy BMI as 18.5 to 24.9 for adults. Below 18.5 is underweight. 25.0 to 29.9 is overweight. 30.0 and above is obese, with three classes: Class I 30-34.9, Class II 35-39.9, Class III 40 and above. Asian and Asian-Pacific populations are often assessed with lower thresholds: overweight begins at BMI 23, and obesity at BMI 27.5.

Is BMI accurate for determining healthy weight?

BMI is a useful screening tool for population-level assessment but has well-known limitations for individuals. It does not distinguish between muscle and fat mass, does not account for fat distribution (waist-to-hip ratio better captures central adiposity), and may misclassify highly muscular individuals as overweight. It remains the standard clinical screening metric because it requires only height and weight and correlates with health outcomes at a population level.

How do you calculate healthy weight for children?

Children's healthy weight uses BMI-for-age percentiles, not absolute BMI values, because BMI changes significantly with age during growth. The CDC defines healthy weight for children aged 2 to 19 as BMI-for-age between the 5th and 85th percentile. Overweight is the 85th to 95th percentile. Obese is at or above the 95th percentile. Underweight is below the 5th percentile. BMI-for-age charts from the CDC are the standard reference.

Healthy Weight Calculator

WHO BMI range 18.5 to 24.9 · All BMI categories · Current weight position · Asia-Pacific thresholds

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✅ Enter your height to find the healthy weight range. Add your current weight to see where you fall across all BMI categories.

Healthy Weight Range

129 to 174 lbs

5 ft 10 in · BMI 18.5 to 24.9

Minimum (BMI 18.5)

Maximum (BMI 24.9)

Midpoint (BMI 21.7)

Weight Range by BMI Category

Category	BMI	lbs	kg

What Is a Healthy Weight?

The healthy weight range for any height is defined as the weight that corresponds to a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m². BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared:

BMI = weight (kg) / height² (m) Example: 70 kg at 1.78 m BMI = 70 / (1.78²) = 70 / 3.1684 = 22.1 To find the healthy weight range: Min weight = 18.5 × height² (in metres) Max weight = 24.9 × height² For 1.78 m: 18.5 × 3.1684 = 58.6 kg to 24.9 × 3.1684 = 78.9 kg

The formula applies to adults 18 and older regardless of sex. For children and teens (ages 2 to 19), healthy weight is defined by BMI-for-age percentiles - the healthy range is between the 5th and 85th percentile for age.

Why the Range Varies by Height

Taller people have more bone, organ, and muscle mass at any given proportional fatness. The BMI formula squares the height term, meaning the healthy weight range widens considerably at greater heights. A person who is 5 feet tall has a healthy range of about 32 lbs; a person who is 6 feet tall has a healthy range of about 46 lbs.

WHO BMI Categories

Category	BMI Range	Health Implications
Severe underweight	< 16.0	High risk of malnutrition, immune dysfunction, organ failure
Moderate underweight	16.0 to 16.9	Increased risk of nutritional deficiencies and complications
Mild underweight	17.0 to 18.4	Some increased health risk; nutritional status should be assessed
Normal weight	18.5 to 24.9	Lowest all-cause mortality risk in general population
Overweight (pre-obese)	25.0 to 29.9	Increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes
Obese Class I	30.0 to 34.9	Moderate risk; metabolic syndrome common
Obese Class II	35.0 to 39.9	Severe risk; serious comorbidities likely
Obese Class III	≥ 40.0	Very severe risk; significant reduction in life expectancy

Asia-Pacific Thresholds

The WHO Western Pacific Regional Office and the International Obesity Task Force recommend lower BMI cut-off values for Asian populations due to evidence that Asian groups develop metabolic complications at lower BMI values than Western populations:

Category	WHO Standard	Asia-Pacific
Normal weight	18.5 to 24.9	18.5 to 22.9
Overweight	25.0 to 29.9	23.0 to 27.4
Obese	≥ 30.0	≥ 27.5

Health Effects of Being Outside the Healthy Weight Range

Underweight (BMI below 18.5)

Being underweight is associated with impaired immune function, increased susceptibility to infection, low energy and stamina, osteoporosis from inadequate bone mineral density, and hormonal disruption. In women, underweight status can cause absence of menstruation, infertility, and pregnancy complications. Severe underweight carries mortality rates comparable to morbid obesity.

Underweight can result from inadequate caloric intake, hypermetabolic conditions (hyperthyroidism, cancer, tuberculosis), malabsorption disorders (Crohn's disease, celiac disease), eating disorders (anorexia or bulimia nervosa), or excessive energy expenditure from intense athletic training without adequate nutritional intake. Treatment depends on the underlying cause and may involve supervised dietary modification, treatment of the primary condition, and psychological support when an eating disorder is present.

Overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9)

The health consequences of overweight are more debated than those of frank obesity. Being overweight increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, and certain cancers, though to a lesser degree than obesity. Some studies have found marginally lower mortality in the overweight BMI range compared to the normal weight range, possibly because BMI overweight includes many individuals with high muscle mass, and because some weight reserve may be protective in older adults or during illness.

Visceral fat distribution is a stronger predictor of metabolic risk than BMI alone. Two people with the same BMI in the overweight range may have very different cardiometabolic risk depending on whether their excess weight is distributed primarily in the abdomen versus the hips and thighs.

Obesity (BMI 30 and above)

Obesity substantially increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, and several cancers including colon, breast, and endometrial cancer. It reduces life expectancy and is classified as one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide.

Class III obesity (BMI ≥ 40) significantly impairs quality of life and is associated with major mobility limitations, severe sleep disorders, and markedly elevated surgical risk.

⚠️

BMI does not account for fat distribution, muscle mass, bone density, age, or ethnicity. A visually muscular person with very low body fat may have a BMI in the overweight range. An elderly person with significant muscle loss (sarcopenia) may have a BMI in the normal range with a high body fat percentage. Waist circumference (over 35 inches for women, over 40 inches for men) is a better predictor of metabolic risk than BMI alone.

Healthy Weight Reference Table

Height	Healthy Min (lbs)	Healthy Max (lbs)	Healthy Range (kg)
4'10" (147 cm)	91	119	41.3 to 53.9 kg
5'0" (152 cm)	97	128	44.0 to 58.0 kg
5'2" (157 cm)	104	135	47.2 to 61.2 kg
5'4" (163 cm)	110	144	49.9 to 65.3 kg
5'6" (168 cm)	118	154	53.5 to 69.9 kg
5'8" (173 cm)	125	164	56.7 to 74.4 kg
5'10" (178 cm)	129	174	58.5 to 78.9 kg
6'0" (183 cm)	140	184	63.5 to 83.4 kg
6'2" (188 cm)	144	194	65.3 to 88.0 kg
6'4" (193 cm)	156	205	70.8 to 93.0 kg

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the healthy weight range for a 5'10" person?

For a height of 5'10" (178 cm), the healthy weight range (BMI 18.5 to 24.9) is approximately 129 to 174 lbs (58.5 to 78.9 kg). The midpoint at BMI 21.7 is about 151 lbs (68.5 kg). These values apply to adults 18 and older regardless of sex. The calculator above will compute the exact range for any height.

Does sex affect the healthy weight range?

The WHO BMI calculation does not include sex as a variable - the healthy range of 18.5 to 24.9 applies to both males and females at any given height. However, men and women of the same height and BMI typically differ significantly in body composition: men have higher lean mass and lower body fat at the same BMI. A BMI of 22 corresponds to roughly 15 to 18% body fat in men and 24 to 28% in women due to differences in muscle mass and essential fat.

Is BMI a good measure of healthy weight for children?

For children and teenagers aged 2 to 19, BMI is interpreted using age-specific and sex-specific percentile charts, not fixed cutoff values. The CDC and WHO define healthy weight as BMI-for-age between the 5th and 85th percentile. Overweight is between the 85th and 95th percentile, and obese is at or above the 95th percentile. Adult BMI thresholds should never be applied to children.

What is a more accurate measure of healthy weight than BMI?

Waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio are stronger predictors of cardiometabolic risk than BMI. A waist over 35 inches (89 cm) for women and over 40 inches (102 cm) for men indicates elevated cardiovascular risk regardless of BMI. DEXA scanning measures actual body fat percentage and lean mass with high accuracy. Waist-to-hip ratio, bioelectrical impedance, and skinfold calipers are also used clinically. The combination of BMI, waist circumference, and fasting metabolic markers provides a more complete picture of metabolic health than any single number.

Children's Healthy Weight: BMI-for-Age

Children grow rapidly and their body proportions change with age. Applying adult BMI thresholds to children is not valid - a 10-year-old boy with a BMI of 17 may be perfectly healthy, while a BMI of 17 in an adult indicates underweight. The CDC and WHO both use age-specific and sex-specific BMI percentile charts to define healthy weight in children and adolescents from ages 2 to 19.

BMI-for-Age Percentile	Category	Notes
Below 5th percentile	Underweight	Consult paediatrician; may indicate nutritional deficit or chronic illness
5th to below 85th percentile	Healthy weight	Normal growth; physical activity and balanced diet recommended
85th to below 95th percentile	Overweight	Monitor trends; lifestyle modifications generally recommended
At or above 95th percentile	Obese	Medical evaluation recommended; increased risk of metabolic complications

ℹ️

The CDC provides free BMI-for-age percentile charts for boys and girls aged 2 to 20. Paediatricians track BMI percentile over time - a stable percentile trajectory is generally reassuring, while a rapid upward shift signals a need for evaluation. A single BMI measurement without the trend context is less informative for children than for adults.