BMI Chart for Men: Healthy Weight by Height
How much should a 5′10″ man weigh? Is 180 pounds too much at that height, or is it muscle? And does the chart change after 60?
Only 24.0% of US men have a BMI in CDC’s healthy range of 18.5 to 24.9, and at every height from 5′4″ to 6′2″ most men are above it (our calculation from CDC measurements, 2021–2023). Since June 2026 the American Diabetes Association also counts waist size: 73.4% of US men meet its new thresholds for obesity, against 39.5% of the same 2,659 men by BMI alone (our calculation).
Below: the chart for every height from 5′2″ to 6′6″ in pounds and kilograms, the 5′10″ answers, and what muscle, waist size and age change.
A healthy BMI for men is 18.5 to 24.9, the same range as for women (CDC). Under 18.5 is underweight, 25 to 29.9 overweight and 30 or more obesity. At 5′10″, the healthy weight is 129 to 173 lb (59 to 78 kg); at 6′0″, 137 to 183 lb (62 to 83 kg).
- 24.0% of US men have a healthy BMI and 39.2% have obesity (our calculation from CDC measurements, 2021–2023; NCHS publishes the same obesity rate).
- Most men with an overweight BMI carry more body fat than the typical man with a healthy BMI. On CDC’s body scans (2011–2018), only 11.8% of men aged 20 to 59 with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 carried no more body fat than the median man with a healthy BMI (our calculation).
- The waist counts too. US guidelines flag a man’s waist over 40 inches, and since June 2026 the American Diabetes Association counts a waist of at least half the height toward obesity from a BMI of 25, or 23 for men of Asian background.
- The chart is for men 20 and over and doesn’t change with age.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is for information only. BMI is a screening measure, not a diagnosis. Ask a healthcare professional for medical advice.
BMI chart for men by height and weight
Each cell is the range of whole pounds, with kilograms below, that gives a BMI in that category at that height. The healthy weight runs from 101 to 136 lb at 5′2″ to 160 to 215 lb at 6′6″.
| Height | UnderweightBMI under 18.5 | Healthy weightBMI 18.5–24.9 | OverweightBMI 25–29.9 | Class 1 obesityBMI 30–34.9 | Class 2 obesityBMI 35–39.9 | Class 3 obesityBMI 40 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5′2″ (157.5 cm) | ≤ 100 lb (45 kg) | 101–136 lb (46–61 kg) | 137–163 lb (62–74 kg) | 164–191 lb (75–86 kg) | 192–218 lb (87–99 kg) | ≥ 219 lb (100 kg) |
| 5′3″ (160.0 cm) | ≤ 104 lb (47 kg) | 105–140 lb (48–63 kg) | 141–169 lb (64–76 kg) | 170–197 lb (77–89 kg) | 198–225 lb (90–102 kg) | ≥ 226 lb (103 kg) |
| 5′4″ (162.6 cm) | ≤ 107 lb (48 kg) | 108–145 lb (49–65 kg) | 146–174 lb (66–79 kg) | 175–203 lb (80–92 kg) | 204–232 lb (93–105 kg) | ≥ 233 lb (106 kg) |
| 5′5″ (165.1 cm) | ≤ 110 lb (50 kg) | 111–149 lb (51–68 kg) | 150–179 lb (69–81 kg) | 180–210 lb (82–95 kg) | 211–240 lb (96–108 kg) | ≥ 241 lb (109 kg) |
| 5′6″ (167.6 cm) | ≤ 114 lb (51 kg) | 115–154 lb (52–70 kg) | 155–185 lb (71–84 kg) | 186–216 lb (85–98 kg) | 217–247 lb (99–112 kg) | ≥ 248 lb (113 kg) |
| 5′7″ (170.2 cm) | ≤ 117 lb (53 kg) | 118–159 lb (54–72 kg) | 160–191 lb (73–86 kg) | 192–223 lb (87–101 kg) | 224–255 lb (102–115 kg) | ≥ 256 lb (116 kg) |
| 5′8″ (172.7 cm) | ≤ 121 lb (55 kg) | 122–164 lb (56–74 kg) | 165–196 lb (75–89 kg) | 197–229 lb (90–104 kg) | 230–262 lb (105–119 kg) | ≥ 263 lb (120 kg) |
| 5′9″ (175.3 cm) | ≤ 124 lb (56 kg) | 125–168 lb (57–76 kg) | 169–202 lb (77–91 kg) | 203–236 lb (92–107 kg) | 237–270 lb (108–122 kg) | ≥ 271 lb (123 kg) |
| 5′10″ (177.8 cm) | ≤ 128 lb (58 kg) | 129–173 lb (59–78 kg) | 174–208 lb (79–94 kg) | 209–243 lb (95–110 kg) | 244–278 lb (111–126 kg) | ≥ 279 lb (127 kg) |
| 5′11″ (180.3 cm) | ≤ 132 lb (60 kg) | 133–178 lb (61–81 kg) | 179–214 lb (82–97 kg) | 215–250 lb (98–113 kg) | 251–286 lb (114–129 kg) | ≥ 287 lb (130 kg) |
| 6′0″ (182.9 cm) | ≤ 136 lb (61 kg) | 137–183 lb (62–83 kg) | 184–220 lb (84–100 kg) | 221–257 lb (101–116 kg) | 258–294 lb (117–133 kg) | ≥ 295 lb (134 kg) |
| 6′1″ (185.4 cm) | ≤ 139 lb (63 kg) | 140–189 lb (64–85 kg) | 190–227 lb (86–102 kg) | 228–264 lb (103–120 kg) | 265–302 lb (121–137 kg) | ≥ 303 lb (138 kg) |
| 6′2″ (188.0 cm) | ≤ 143 lb (65 kg) | 144–194 lb (66–88 kg) | 195–233 lb (89–105 kg) | 234–272 lb (106–123 kg) | 273–311 lb (124–141 kg) | ≥ 312 lb (142 kg) |
| 6′3″ (190.5 cm) | ≤ 147 lb (66 kg) | 148–199 lb (67–90 kg) | 200–239 lb (91–108 kg) | 240–279 lb (109–126 kg) | 280–319 lb (127–144 kg) | ≥ 320 lb (145 kg) |
| 6′4″ (193.0 cm) | ≤ 151 lb (68 kg) | 152–204 lb (69–92 kg) | 205–246 lb (93–111 kg) | 247–287 lb (112–130 kg) | 288–328 lb (131–148 kg) | ≥ 329 lb (149 kg) |
| 6′5″ (195.6 cm) | ≤ 155 lb (70 kg) | 156–210 lb (71–95 kg) | 211–252 lb (96–114 kg) | 253–294 lb (115–133 kg) | 295–336 lb (134–152 kg) | ≥ 337 lb (153 kg) |
| 6′6″ (198.1 cm) | ≤ 159 lb (72 kg) | 160–215 lb (73–97 kg) | 216–259 lb (98–117 kg) | 260–302 lb (118–137 kg) | 303–345 lb (138–156 kg) | ≥ 346 lb (157 kg) |
Whole pounds and kilograms whose BMI, rounded to one decimal, falls in each category at the height shown. Each unit is worked out on its own, so the kilograms are not conversions of the pounds. Cut-offs: CDC Adult BMI Categories. Kilogram limits are for the exact height in inches; the centimeters shown are rounded to one decimal. Each row has its own link, for example #h-5-10 for 5′10″.
To read it, find your height in the left column and the cell that holds your weight; its column is your BMI category. For the exact number, use the BMI calculator for men or the printable chart below.
How much should a 5′10″ man weigh?
At 5′10″ (177.8 cm), a healthy weight is 129 to 173 lb (59 to 78 kg), a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. Overweight runs from 174 to 208 lb (79 to 94 kg), and obesity starts at 209 lb (95 kg).
| Weight | BMI | Category | All US men with a higher BMI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 140 lb (63.5 kg) | 20.1 | Healthy weight | 96% |
| 150 lb (68.0 kg) | 21.5 | Healthy weight | 93% |
| 160 lb (72.6 kg) | 23.0 | Healthy weight | 87% |
| 170 lb (77.1 kg) | 24.4 | Healthy weight | 79% |
| 180 lb (81.6 kg) | 25.8 | Overweight | 68% |
| 185 lb (83.9 kg) | 26.5 | Overweight | 63% |
| 190 lb (86.2 kg) | 27.3 | Overweight | 57% |
| 200 lb (90.7 kg) | 28.7 | Overweight | 47% |
| 210 lb (95.3 kg) | 30.1 | Class 1 obesity | 38% |
| 215 lb (97.5 kg) | 30.8 | Class 1 obesity | 34% |
| 230 lb (104.3 kg) | 33.0 | Class 1 obesity | 23% |
BMI = weight × 703 ÷ 70², rounded to one decimal (CDC formula); categories: CDC. The last column is our calculation from CDC measurements of 2,680 men aged 20 and over of every height, 2021–2023, read from the BMI curve the site’s calculators use, so it matches what they show; men with the same BMI count on neither side, and the exact share can differ by a point after rounding.
US men of that height are mostly above the range. Of men measured at 5′10″ to the nearest inch, 22.3% have a healthy BMI, 38.3% are overweight and 39.4% have obesity. Their average weight is 205.5 lb and their median 199.1 lb (our calculation from CDC measurements, 313 men, 2021–2023; average weight by height has every height).
Other sources give other numbers for 5′10″. NIH’s printable BMI table starts at a BMI of 19, so its 5′10″ row reads 132 lb under BMI 19 and 167 lb under 24 (NIH); CDC’s healthy range starts at 18.5, which is 129 lb. “Ideal weight” formulas give one weight per height instead of a range; the ideal weight calculator shows four of them. Some online answers put the ideal at 170 to 185 lb, which by BMI runs from 24.4, healthy, to 26.5, overweight.
Example. 185 lb at 5′10″ is 185 × 703 ÷ 70² = 26.5, rounded to one decimal: overweight, 12 lb above the healthy range for that height.
Where US men fall on the chart
Most US men are above the healthy range: 35.7% are overweight and 39.2% have obesity, including 6.7% with a BMI of 40 or more; 1.1% are underweight. The median US man has a BMI of 28.2, in the overweight range (our calculation).
At every height from 5′4″ to 6′2″, between 64% and 81% of men have a BMI of 25 or more, and both the median and the average man weigh more than the healthy range allows (the figure at the top and the table below).
| Height | Healthy weightlb | Average weightlb | BMI 25 or more |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5′4″ | 108–145 | 162.7 | 66.1% |
| 5′5″ | 111–149 | 176.2 | 74.8% |
| 5′6″ | 115–154 | 181.1 | 71.8% |
| 5′7″ | 118–159 | 188.7 | 74.7% |
| 5′8″ | 122–164 | 191.3 | 74.8% |
| 5′9″ | 125–168 | 204.0 | 76.3% |
| 5′10″ | 129–173 | 205.5 | 77.7% |
| 5′11″ | 133–178 | 215.1 | 80.1% |
| 6′0″ | 137–183 | 215.7 | 70.4% |
| 6′1″ | 140–189 | 220.6 | 81.4% |
| 6′2″ | 144–194 | 217.1 | 64.0% |
Healthy weight: whole pounds with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 (CDC categories). Average weight and the share with a BMI of 25 or more: our calculation from CDC NHANES August 2021–August 2023, men aged 20 and over by measured height to the nearest inch (76 to 374 men per height; survey-weighted). The averages are the ones on average weight by height.
Men aged 20 to 39 are the most likely to have a healthy BMI, at 28.3%, compared with 20.7% at 40 to 59 and 22.5% at 60 and over. Obesity peaks at 40 to 59 (45.4%, against 34.3% at 20 to 39 and 38.0% at 60 and over), and so does a BMI of 40 or more (9.2%). Men 60 and over are more often overweight than men aged 40 to 59 (38.9% against 33.5%).
| Age | 18.5–24.9 | 25–29.9 | 30 or more | 40 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–39 | 28.3% | 35.4% | 34.3% | 6.1% |
| 40–59 | 20.7% | 33.5% | 45.4% | 9.2% |
| 60+ | 22.5% | 38.9% | 38.0% | 4.3% |
| All 20+ | 24.0% | 35.7% | 39.2% | 6.7% |
Our calculation from CDC NHANES August 2021–August 2023 measured heights and weights (2,680 men aged 20 and over: 672 aged 20 to 39, 762 aged 40 to 59 and 1,246 aged 60 and over; survey-weighted). The columns are CDC’s healthy weight, overweight and obesity ranges; obesity includes the class 3 column (BMI 40 or more), and underweight (under 18.5) makes up the rest: 2.0%, 0.5% and 0.6% by age. The obesity and BMI 40 or more shares match NCHS’s published rates for men at every age (Data Brief 508). Each share has a 95% margin of error of up to ±6 points, and each difference by age stated above is larger than its own margin of error.
For what US men weigh at each height, see average weight by height; US obesity statistics has the trends since 1960.
Muscle or fat? Body fat at the same BMI
BMI can’t tell muscle from fat: CDC notes that it “does not distinguish between fat, muscle, and bone mass” (CDC). CDC’s survey also measured body fat directly in 2011–2018, with whole-body DXA scans up to age 59, so the two can be compared in the same men.
The median man with a healthy BMI carried 22.1% body fat, with an overweight BMI 26.9% and with obesity 31.6%. Only 11.8% of men with an overweight BMI carried no more body fat than the median man with a healthy BMI, and 1.4% of men with obesity. The mismatch runs the other way too: 14.0% of men with a healthy BMI carried at least as much body fat as the median man with an overweight BMI (our calculation from NHANES 2011–2018 scans).
BMI alone can’t tell which group a man is in. A waist measurement is a quick next check (next section), the body fat calculator estimates body fat from a few measurements, and the body fat percentage chart shows where a reading sits among US men. BMI for athletes covers training.
Waist size and the 2026 ADA standards
US guidelines treat a man’s waist over 40 inches (102 cm) as a sign of higher risk, mainly at a BMI of 25 to 34.9 (NHLBI). For adults with a BMI under 35, NICE (UK) classes a waist-to-height ratio of 0.5 to 0.59 as increased central adiposity and 0.6 or more as high (NICE).
In June 2026 the American Diabetes Association put the waist into its definition of obesity (ADA). For men of non-Asian background, obesity is a BMI of 30 or more, or a BMI of 25 or more with a waist at least half the height or a waist of 102 cm (40 in) or more. For men of Asian background the lines are a BMI of 27.5, or 23 with the same ratio or a waist of 90 cm (35.5 in) (ADA, 2026). For comparison, CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program uses a BMI of 23 or higher, instead of 25, as one of its eligibility criteria for Asian American adults (CDC).
| BMI category | Waist 102 cm or more | Waist half the height or more |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy weightBMI 18.5–24.9 | 0.6% | 42.9% |
| OverweightBMI 25–29.9 | 30.8% | 93.7% |
| ObesityBMI 30 or more | 94.3% | more than 99% |
For almost every man, half the height is the lower of the two waist lines: it is under 102 cm for anyone shorter than 204 cm, about 6′8″. At an overweight BMI, 93.7% of US men have a waist at least half their height, but only 30.8% reach 102 cm; at a healthy BMI, 42.9% and 0.6% (our calculation, 2,596 men with a measured waist).
Most of the gap, 30.9 points, comes from men of non-Asian background with a BMI of 25 to 29.9: 93.4% of them have a waist at or over one of the lines. The BMI chart for adults shows the same comparison for women and men, and the waist-to-height ratio guide shows how to measure.
Does the chart change with age?
Not for adults. CDC uses one set of categories for every man aged 20 and over, “regardless of age, sex, or race” (CDC). What changes with age is what a given BMI is linked to:
- Death rates. In 3.95 million never-smokers without certain chronic diseases at the start, leaving out the first five years of follow-up, death rates were lowest at a BMI of 20 to 25. Per 5 BMI units above 25, the risk was 52% higher for BMI measured at ages 35 to 49 and 21% higher at 70 to 89, and the rise was steeper in men than in women (51% against 30%; Global BMI Mortality Collaboration, 2016).
- Older adults. In adults 65 and over, compared with a BMI of 23 to 23.9, the risk of death was higher below 23 and began to rise at about 33 (Winter et al., 2014). That is an association, not a separate range.
- Muscle. “Loss of muscle mass in older adults reduces the accuracy of BMI, which may lead to underdiagnosis of obesity” (ADA, 2026).
So a 70-year-old man of 5′9″ has the same healthy range as a 30-year-old: 125 to 168 lb (57 to 76 kg). US men aged 70 to 79 have an average BMI of 29.4 (our calculation, 2021–2023).
Under 20, BMI is read as a percentile for age and sex, not on this chart; the BMI calculator for children and teens works it out for ages 2 to 19. BMI by age explains how the adult range applies across life, and the healthy BMI range guide has the mortality data behind it.
Frequently asked questions
18.5 to 24.9, the same as for women: CDC bases adult categories on BMI “regardless of age, sex, or race” (CDC). Under 18.5 is underweight, 25 to 29.9 overweight and 30 or more obesity. 24.0% of US men have a BMI in the healthy range, and the median US man has a BMI of 28.2 (our calculation from CDC measurements, 2021–2023).
No. At 5′10″, 170 lb is a BMI of 24.4, inside the healthy range for that height, 129 to 173 lb (CDC categories). Overweight starts at 174 lb.
By BMI it is overweight: 180 lb at 5′10″ is a BMI of 25.8, and the healthy range ends at 173 lb. BMI can’t say how much of that is fat. On CDC’s body scans (2011–2018), only 11.8% of men aged 20 to 59 with an overweight BMI carried no more body fat than the median man with a healthy BMI, 22.1% (our calculation). Waist size is the next check: at 5′10″, a waist of 35 inches is half the height, the point where NICE starts to class central adiposity as increased (NICE).
It is overweight by BMI: 28.7 at 5′10″. Obesity starts at 209 lb. It is also close to what US men of that height weigh: their average is 205.5 lb and their median 199.1 lb (our calculation from CDC measurements, 313 men, 2021–2023).
Yes, by BMI. At 5′10″, 215 lb is a BMI of 30.8, which CDC calls class 1 obesity (30 to 34.9); obesity starts at 209 lb at that height (CDC). Of US men who are 5′10″, 39.4% have a BMI of 30 or more (our calculation).
Not by BMI. At 5′10″, 140 lb is a BMI of 20.1, in the healthy range; underweight starts below 129 lb, a BMI under 18.5 (CDC). About 96% of US men have a higher BMI (our calculation).
At 6′0″ (182.9 cm), a healthy weight is 137 to 183 lb (62 to 83 kg). Overweight runs from 184 to 220 lb and obesity starts at 221 lb. The average US man of that height weighs 215.7 lb (our calculation; average weight by height).
For men 20 and over, age doesn’t change the answer: find your height on the chart, and the healthy cell holds your range (CDC). Under 20, BMI is read as a percentile for age and sex instead (CDC); the BMI calculator for children and teens works it out.
The same as at any adult age: 125 to 168 lb (57 to 76 kg) at 5′9″ (CDC). US men aged 70 to 79 have an average BMI of 29.4 (our calculation). In adults aged 65 and over, the risk of death was higher below a BMI of 23 and began to rise at about 33, compared with 23 to 23.9 (Winter et al., 2014), and muscle loss can make BMI miss obesity in older adults (ADA, 2026).
There isn’t a new chart. CDC’s adult categories are unchanged, on a page last reviewed in March 2024 (CDC). What changed in June 2026 is the American Diabetes Association’s definition of obesity: for a man of non-Asian background, a BMI of 25 to 29.9 now counts as obesity when the waist is at least half the height or 102 cm (40 in) or more, with lower lines for men of Asian background (ADA, 2026). 73.4% of US men meet those thresholds, against 39.5% of the same 2,659 men by BMI alone (our calculation; the 21 men whose class depends on a waist that wasn’t measured are left out).
In 3.95 million never-smokers without certain chronic diseases at the start, pooled from 189 studies, death rates were lowest at a BMI of 20 to 25. Above 25 they rose faster in men than in women: 51% against 30% per 5 BMI units (Global BMI Mortality Collaboration, 2016). That is an association, not proof that a given weight lengthens life.
Sources and method
Written by Marko Visic, MPharm. “Our calculation” means we computed the figure from CDC’s public survey files with the method below.
- CDC. Adult BMI Categories: the adult cut-offs and the “regardless of age, sex, or race” rule (page last reviewed March 2024).
- CDC. Child and Teen BMI Categories: percentiles for ages 2 to 19.
- CDC. Calculating BMI: the formulas in US units and metric.
- CDC. About Body Mass Index (BMI): what BMI does and doesn’t measure.
- NIH (NHLBI). Body Mass Index Table: one column for each whole BMI from 19 to 54.
- CDC NHANES August 2021–August 2023 demographics and body measures files (DEMO_L, BMX_L): our calculation of the share of men aged 20 and over in each BMI category by age (2,680 men) and by measured height, of waist size by BMI category (2,596 with a measured waist) and of the 2026 ADA thresholds (2,659 men), weighted with the exam weights; the same files give the average weight at each height on average weight by height.
- Emmerich SD, et al. NCHS Data Brief No. 508 (Sep 2024): obesity and severe obesity in US adults by sex and age, August 2021–August 2023.
- CDC NHANES 2011–2018 whole-body DXA scans: our calculation of body fat by BMI category, men aged 20 to 59 (the body fat percentage chart has the method).
- NHLBI. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, treatment guidelines chapter (NIH, 1998): waist cut-offs for women and men.
- NICE (UK). Overweight and obesity management, guideline NG246 (2025): waist-to-height ratio categories for adults with a BMI under 35, a 2022 recommendation.
- American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee for Obesity. Screening, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Staging of Obesity in Adults: Standards of Care in Overweight and Obesity—2026: obesity thresholds with waist size (recommendations 3.3a and 3.3b); ADA press release, June 2026.
- CDC. National Diabetes Prevention Program eligibility: BMI of 25 or higher, 23 or higher for Asian American adults.
- The Global BMI Mortality Collaboration. Body-mass index and all-cause mortality (Lancet, 2016): never-smokers in 189 studies; hazard ratios by age at measurement and by sex.
- Winter JE, et al. BMI and all-cause mortality in older adults: a meta-analysis (Am J Clin Nutr, 2014).
Method. Men aged 20 and over with a measured height and weight in NHANES August 2021–August 2023, weighted with CDC’s exam weights; heights are measured heights rounded to the nearest inch. Shares carry 95% confidence intervals from Taylor linearization over the survey’s 15 strata, and the page states a difference between age groups only when its interval excludes zero. Body fat comes from whole-body DXA scans of men aged 20 to 59 in NHANES 2011–2018, four survey cycles pooled; men without a valid scan are left out (18.7% of men with a healthy BMI, 18.2% with an overweight BMI and 26.1% with obesity). The ADA comparison leaves out the 21 men whose class depends on a waist that wasn’t measured, and applies the lines for adults of Asian background to the men CDC records as non-Hispanic Asian. The median BMI and the last column of the 5′10″ table read the homepage’s BMI curve for men, as its calculator does; the weight percentiles by height are the ones on average weight by height, and the body fat percentiles the body fat chart’s. Every figure is rounded once, from the unrounded estimate, except that rank, which reads percentile curves stored to two decimals. NHLBI gives the men’s waist line as over 102 cm (over 40 in) and the ADA as 102 cm or more (40 in or more in its Table 3.1); the waist shares on this page use the measured waist in centimeters.