Healthy Weight Calculator
This calculator computes a healthy body weight range based on a person's height
Healthy Weight Range
Based on your height, your healthy weight range is calculated using BMI standards.
Your BMI Category
Enter your height to calculate your BMI category.
What is a Healthy Weight?
The range of healthy body weights is calculated based on BMI. Given a specific height, the calculator uses standard algorithms to calculate the range of possible body weights that fall within different categories of weight determined by BMI. An adult aged 18 or older with a BMI between 18.5 and 25 kg/m2 is typically defined as having a healthy or normal weight.
Refer to the BMI Calculator for more information, but note that a "healthy body weight" is based on estimations that do not account for certain factors such as body composition. While accurate for an "average" person, this means that it is possible to be categorized as overweight or underweight and still be "healthy," but this requires more than a generalized calculation to determine – likely with the help of a medical professional.
Effects of Being Underweight, Overweight, and Obese
Underweight (BMI < 18.5):
A person can be underweight as a result of genetics, lack of food, metabolic issues, use of drugs, or illness. Being underweight is associated with a host of medical conditions that include hyperthyroidism, cancer, or tuberculosis, and can be indicative of some underlying disease or disorder. Studies have also shown that being underweight results in an increase in mortality rates comparable to that of the morbidly obese.
Overweight (BMI 25-30):
Being overweight is typically a result of consuming more calories than the body expends through metabolic processes and exercise. Being overweight is also affected by many other factors, including alcoholism, a genetic predisposition, eating disorders, limited physical exercise and a sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition, and stress.
Obese (BMI > 30):
Obesity is typically caused by a lack of exercise, excessive food intake, and genetic susceptibility. There are rarer cases where obesity is caused primarily by genes, hormonal imbalances due to endocrine disorders, medications, or mental disorders. It is mostly preventable however, through lifestyle and diet changes.
Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Being underweight, overweight, or obese are conditions that lead to significantly different health complications. Managing these conditions however, involves addressing many similar underlying issues, including diet, exercise, and possible mental health disorders.
In the case of being underweight, increasing calorie intake through eating nutrient-rich foods such as whole-grains, vegetables, lean protein sources, and nuts and seeds more frequently can help underweight individuals to gain weight in a healthy manner.
Overweight and obesity, similarly to being underweight, can largely be reduced through changes in diet and exercise. The WHO recommends limiting intake of calorie-dense foods, total fats, and sugars, while increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts.