Ideal Weight for Height: Healthy Weight Chart (Free)
A healthy weight for adults is a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. See the kg and lb range for heights from 150 to 190 cm and check yours with a free BMI calculator.
Published · 4 min read
There's no single ideal weight for a height, but there is a healthy weight range: the weights that give an adult a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. For a height of 165 cm (about 5 ft 5 in), that's roughly 50.4 to 67.8 kg (111 to 149 lb). Enter your height and any weight in the free BMI calculator and it shows the healthy range for your height. This is general information for adults, not medical advice.
The formula behind the range
BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Turn it round and you get the weight for any BMI:
weight (kg) = BMI × height (m)²
So the healthy range for your height is:
- lower end = 18.5 × height²
- upper end = 24.9 × height²
Worked example for 165 cm:
- Height in metres: 1.65.
- Square it: 1.65 × 1.65 = 2.7225.
- Lower end: 18.5 × 2.7225 = 50.4 kg.
- Upper end: 24.9 × 2.7225 = 67.8 kg.
The full method for BMI itself, in metric and imperial, is in how to calculate BMI.
Healthy weight chart by height (metric)
| Height | Healthy weight (BMI 18.5-24.9) | In pounds |
|---|---|---|
| 150 cm | 41.6-56.0 kg | 92-124 lb |
| 155 cm | 44.4-59.8 kg | 98-132 lb |
| 160 cm | 47.4-63.7 kg | 104-141 lb |
| 165 cm | 50.4-67.8 kg | 111-149 lb |
| 170 cm | 53.5-72.0 kg | 118-159 lb |
| 175 cm | 56.7-76.3 kg | 125-168 lb |
| 180 cm | 59.9-80.7 kg | 132-178 lb |
| 185 cm | 63.3-85.2 kg | 140-188 lb |
| 190 cm | 66.8-89.9 kg | 147-198 lb |
Healthy weight chart by height (feet and inches)
| Height | Healthy weight |
|---|---|
| 5 ft 2 in | 101-136 lb |
| 5 ft 6 in | 115-154 lb |
| 5 ft 10 in | 129-174 lb |
| 6 ft 0 in | 136-184 lb |
These are the same numbers the BMI calculator shows when you choose Imperial (ft, lb). If you weigh yourself in stone, the calculator can show the range in stone and pounds too.
Find the ideal weight for your height in the calculator
- Open the free BMI calculator.
- Choose Metric (cm, kg) or Imperial (ft, lb).
- Enter your Height, and your current Weight.
- Read the line under your result: "A healthy weight for your height is about ... to ...".
The calculator needs a weight to show anything, but the healthy range depends only on height, so any reasonable number works if you'd rather not enter your real weight. Your numbers stay on your device; nothing is uploaded.
If your height is in feet and inches but you want the range in kilograms, switch to metric and convert your height first with the free unit converter: 5 ft 5 in is 65 inches, or 165.1 cm.
Right at the edge of the range
The calculator rounds BMI to one decimal and uses that to choose the category. That can matter near a boundary. At 165 cm:
- 67.8 kg gives a BMI of 24.9: Healthy weight.
- 68 kg gives 24.98, shown as 25.0: Overweight.
A couple of hundred grams is within the normal daily swing of anyone's weight, so don't read much into a result right on the line. A trend over weeks tells you far more than one reading.
Why it's a range, not one number
People of the same height differ in frame size, muscle and where they carry fat. A range of about 17 kg at 165 cm leaves room for that. Older "ideal weight" formulas that give a single number (the Devine formula was first used to work out drug doses) aren't a better target for everyday health.
When the range doesn't fit you
The BMI range is a screening tool, not a verdict:
- Muscular people can be above the range while carrying little fat.
- Older adults lose muscle with age, so a weight inside the range can still hide low muscle mass.
- Children and teenagers need BMI-for-age charts; the adult range doesn't apply.
- Pregnancy changes everything; this range doesn't apply.
- Some ethnic groups, including South Asians, face higher health risks at lower BMIs, and some guidelines use lower cut-offs. See BMI for Indian adults for what that means for the range.
Waist size adds useful information that BMI misses, because fat around the middle is more closely linked to health risks.
Find your healthy range now
Enter your height in the free BMI calculator to see your healthy weight range in kg, pounds or stone. It's free and private. For advice about your own weight and health, talk to a doctor or other qualified health professional; this guide is not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the ideal weight for my height?
- For adults, a healthy weight is any weight that gives a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. Multiply your height in metres squared by 18.5 and by 24.9 to get the range.
- What is the healthy weight for 5 ft 6 in?
- About 115 to 154 lb, or roughly 52 to 70 kg, for an adult.
- What is the healthy weight for 160 cm?
- About 47.4 to 63.7 kg (104 to 141 lb), using BMI 18.5 to 24.9.
- Is the ideal weight different for men and women?
- The BMI range is the same for adult men and women. Body composition differs, which is one reason BMI is only a rough guide.
- Does this chart apply to children?
- No. Children and teenagers are assessed with BMI-for-age charts. Ask a doctor or health service.
- Is this medical advice?
- No. It's general information. Talk to a health professional about your own weight and health.
Calculators
Try the BMI Calculator
Free, no sign-up, works in your browser. Enter your height and weight in metric or imperial units (feet and inches, pounds or stone) to see your body mass index, the adult category it falls in and the healthy weight range for your height.