How Much Should I Weigh For My Age & Height?

Original article date: 23 May 2010

Article updated: 4 March 2014
One of the most common questions received in our feedback emails is "how much should I weigh
for my age and height?" In this article, we will explain the most common ways in which this can be
calculated.
To determine how much you should weigh (your ideal body weight) several factors should be
considered, including age, muscle-fat ratio, height, sex, and bone density.
Some people suggest that calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI) is the best way to decide
whether your body weight is ideal. Others say that BMI is faulty as it does not account for muscle
mass and that waist-hip ratio is better.
One person's ideal body weight may be completely different from another's. If you compare yourself
to family and friends you risk either aiming too high if you are surrounded by obese or overweight
people, or too low if everyone around you works as fashion models.
Even comparing yourself with people outside your immediate surroundings may not work.
The levels of overweight and obesity in one country, such as the USA or UK, are much higher than in
The Netherlands. So a Dutch person may aim for a lower ideal weight than an American if all he did
was to compare himself to other people.
A recent study may have turned national guidelines on peoples ideal weight on its head.
Researchers found that overweight people have a lower all-cause mortality risk compared to those
of normal weight.

Is Body Mass Index (BMI) a good measure?

Your BMI is your weight in relation to your height.
BMI metric units: Your weight (kilograms) divided by the square of your height (meters)

e.g. Weight 80 kilograms. Height 1.8 meters.

1.8 meters = 3.24
2

80 divided by 3.24 = BMI 24.69.

Imperial units: Your weight (pounds) times 703, divided by the square of your height in
inches.
e.g. Weight 190 pounds. Height 6 ft (72 inches)
72 = 5184
2

190 x 703 divided by 5184 = BMI 25.76

Health authorities worldwide mostly agree that:

People with a BMI of less than 18.5 are underweight.

A BMI of between 18.5 and 25 is ideal.

Somebody with a BMI between 25 and 30 is classed as overweight.

A person with a BMI over 30 is obese.

In some countries health authorities say the lower limit for BMI is 20, anything below it is
underweight.

Calculate Your BMI

To calculate your BMI you can use our metric BMI calculator below (requires Flash) or, alternatively,
use our more comprehensive BMI Calculator.

What is the problem with BMI?

BMI is a very simple measurement which does not take into account the person's waist, chest or hip
measurements. An Olympic 100 meters sprint champion may have a BMI higher than a couch potato
of the same height. The couch potato may have a big belly, not much muscle and a lot of body fat on
his hips, upper thighs, in his blood and other parts of his body. While the athlete will have a smaller
waist, much less body fat, and most likely enjoy better health. According to a purely BMI criteria, the
couch potato is healthier.
BMI does not take into account bone density (bone mass). A person with severe osteoporosis (very
low bone density) may have a lower BMI than somebody else of the same height who is healthy, but
the person with osteoporosis will have a larger waist, more body fat and weak bones.

Many experts criticize BMI as not generally useful in evaluation of health. It is at best a rough
ballpark basic standard that may indicate population variations, but should not be used for
individuals in health care.
Put simply: experts say that BMI underestimates the amount of body fat in overweight/obese people
and overestimates it in lean or muscular people.
More information on BMI, together with imperial and metric BMI calculators, is available here.
Nick Trefethen, a Professor of Numerical Analysis at Oxford University's Mathematical Institute, has
created what he believes to be a better, more accurate and relevant formula than the BMI one for
deciding whether people are carrying too much fat. Humans do not grow equally in all three
dimensions, he explains - the existing BMI formula presumes we do.
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Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR)

A waist-hip measurement is the ratio of the circumference of your waist to that of your hips. You
measure the smallest circumference of your waist, usually just above your belly button, and divide
that total by the circumference of your hip at its widest part.
If a woman's waist is 28 inches and her hips are 36 inches, her WHR is 28 divided by 36 = 0.77.
Below is a breakdown of WHR linked to risk of cardiovascular health problems.
Male WHR

Less than 0.9 - low risk of cardiovascular health problems

0.9 to 0.99 - moderate risk of cardiovascular health problems

1 or over - high risk of cardiovascular problems

Female WHR

Less than 0.8 - low risk of cardiovascular health problems

0.8 to 0.89 - moderate risk of cardiovascular health problems

0.9 or over - high risk of cardiovascular problems

The WHR of a person is a much better indicator of whether their body weight is ideal and what their
risks of developing serious health conditions are, compared to BMI. Various studies have shown that
people with apple-shaped bodies - who have larger WHRs - have higher health risks compared to
people with pear-shaped bodies - who have lower WHRs. An apple-shaped person will have more
fat accumulating on the waist, while a pear-shaped person has the fat accumulating on the hips.

A woman with a WHR of less than 0.8 is generally healthier and more fertile than females with higher
WHRs. They are less likely to develop diabetes, most cancers, or cardiovascular disorders. Similarly,
men with a WHR no more than 9 are generally healthier and more fertile than men with higher
WHRs, and less likely to develop serious conditions or diseases.
Studies indicate that if WHR were to replace BMI as a predictor of heart attack worldwide, figures
would include many more people.
What is the problem with WHR?
WHR does not accurately measure a person's total body fat percentage, or their muscle-to-fat ratio.
However, it is a better predictor of ideal weight and health risks than BMI.

Waist-to-Height Ratio
Dr Margaret Ashwell, who used to be science director of the British Nutrition Foundation, and team
have found that waist-to-height ratio is better at predicting future heart disease and diabetes risk
than BMI.
Dr. Ashwell presented their findings at the 19th Congress on Obesity in Lyon, France, on 12th May,
2012.
Dr. Ashwell said, in an interview withThe Daily Telegraph, a leading UK newspaper:
"Keeping your waist circumference to less than half your height can help increase life expectancy for
every person in the world."
Therefore:
A man 6ft (72 inches, 183 cm) tall, should keep his waist measurement below 36 inches (91

cm)

A woman 5ft 4 inches, i.e. 64 inches (163 cm) tall, should keep her waist measurement
below 32 inches (81 cm)

Dr. Ashwell says waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) should be used as a screening tool.
The team found that after analyzing several studies involving approximately 300,000 people, they
concluded that WHtR is better at predicting heart attacks, stroked, diabetes, and hypertension risk
compared to BMI.
Ashwell explains that BMI does not take into account fat distribution around the body. The
accumulation of abdominal fat (visceral fat) may be harmful for the heart, kidneys and liver, while fat
build-up around the hips and bottom is less hazardous to health.
The researchers added that WHtR is much simpler for people to work out:
Keep your waist circumference to less than half your height"
How do you measure your waist? - measure it mid-way between the lower rip and the iliac crest
(the top of the pelvic bone at the hip), says WHO (World Health Organization). ("Waist To Height
Ratio Better Than BMI". Catharine Paddock PhD. Medical News Today. 13 May 2012)

What is Body Fat Percentage?

Your body fat percentage is the weight of your fat divided by your total weight. The result indicates
your essential fat as well as storage fat.

Essential fat - this is the amount of fat we need to survive. Women require a higher
percentage than men. Essential fat is 2%-5% in men, and 10%-13% in women.

Storage fat - this consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, some of which protects our
internal organs in the chest and abdomen.

Total body fat percentage - this is essential fat plus storage fat.

The American Council on Exercise recommends the following percentages:

Essential fat

Women 10-12%
Men 2-4%

Total fat
Athletes

Men 6-13%

Women 14-20%

Non-athletes classed as fit

Men 14-17%%

Women 21-24

Acceptable

Men 18-25%

Women 25-31%

Overweight

Men 26-37%

Women 32-41%

Obese

Men 38% or more

Women 42% or more

Many experts say that calculating people's body fat percentage is the best way to gauge their fitness
level because it is the only measurement that includes the body's true composition. Any male whose
body fat percentage is over 25% or female over 31% is either overweight or possibly obese.
Body fat percentage would not make the couch potato seem fitter than the 100 meter Olympic
champion - as was the case with BMI.

There are various ways of calculating a person's body fat percentage. None of them can give a
100% accurate figure, but the estimates are accepted as fairly close. Examples include near-infrared
interactance, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and bioelectrical impedance analysis.
Many gyms and doctor's practices have devices that can tell you what your body fat percentage is.

Weight - Height Charts

We have included two charts giving you average weight measurements for men and women based
upon height and frame size. Both charts are from Well, since you asked.
Chart 1: The assumed age is 25-59 years and weight measurements are in pounds (lb).

Chart from Ygraph

Chart 2: Weight and height chart for women and men with weight in kilos and height in feet and
inches and meters.

Chart from Ygraph

Conclusion
This article has briefly explained four ways to help you find out whether your weight is ideal, and
what your target should be if it is not. You can work out your BMI (body mass index), WHR (waist-hip
ratio), WHtR (waist-height ratio) or Body Fat Percentage.
BMI, WHR and WHtR can be done easily in your home. WHR and WHtR are more accurate than
BMI. However, BMI is a useful indicator if you are an "average" person - not an Olympic athlete or a
dedicated weight trainer.
If you embark on a weight loss regime that includes exercise and diet, bear in mind that the exercise
will probably increase your muscle mass, which may increase your weight, even though your waist
may shrink. Muscle weighs more than fat.

It might be better to aim for target waist, hips and chest measurements. A Waist-hip ratio goal is also
possible. If you feel really dedicated, check your Body Fat Percentage; if you are not happy with the
reading, discuss a realistic target with a nutritionist, sports scientist, or personal trainer and go for it!

How Much Should I Weigh?

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today