BMI Chart for Adults: Height and Weight Chart
What should you weigh for your height? Which BMI does your weight give, without a calculator? And is there a new chart for 2026?
Only 26.0% of US adults have a BMI in CDC’s healthy range of 18.5 to 24.9 (our calculation from CDC measurements, 2021–2023). Since June 2026, the American Diabetes Association also counts the waist, and 71.4% of US adults meet its obesity thresholds, against 40.6% of the same adults by BMI alone (our calculation).
Below: the chart for every height from 4′10″ to 6′6″ in pounds and kilograms, a printable BMI table, the heights at which a weight is healthy, and the 2026 waist rule.
A BMI chart gives the weight range for each BMI category at your height. CDC’s healthy range is a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 for every adult, women and men, at any age. At 5′9″ that is 125 to 168 lb (57 to 76 kg); 169 to 202 lb is overweight and 203 lb or more is obesity.
- About 1 in 4 US adults has a healthy BMI (26.0%); 32.1% are overweight and 40.3% have obesity (our calculation from CDC measurements, 2021–2023, matching NCHS’s published crude rates).
- The 2026 waist rule: at a BMI of 25 to 29.9, the American Diabetes Association counts a waist of at least half your height toward obesity, and 94.5% of US adults in that range have one (our calculation).
- Under 20, BMI is read as a percentile for age and sex, not on this chart.
Medical disclaimer: This page is for information only. BMI is a screening measure, not a diagnosis. Ask a healthcare professional for medical advice.
BMI chart 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 is 89 to 119 lb at 4′10″ and 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4′10″ (147.3 cm) | ≤ 88 lb (40 kg) | 89–119 lb (41–54 kg) | 120–143 lb (55–65 kg) | 144–167 lb (66–75 kg) | 168–191 lb (76–86 kg) | ≥ 192 lb (87 kg) |
| 4′11″ (149.9 cm) | ≤ 91 lb (41 kg) | 92–123 lb (42–56 kg) | 124–148 lb (57–67 kg) | 149–173 lb (68–78 kg) | 174–197 lb (79–89 kg) | ≥ 198 lb (90 kg) |
| 5′0″ (152.4 cm) | ≤ 94 lb (42 kg) | 95–127 lb (43–57 kg) | 128–153 lb (58–69 kg) | 154–178 lb (70–81 kg) | 179–204 lb (82–92 kg) | ≥ 205 lb (93 kg) |
| 5′1″ (154.9 cm) | ≤ 97 lb (44 kg) | 98–132 lb (45–59 kg) | 133–158 lb (60–71 kg) | 159–184 lb (72–83 kg) | 185–211 lb (84–95 kg) | ≥ 212 lb (96 kg) |
| 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-5-9 for 5′9″.
BMI chart in kilograms
The same chart for heights in centimeters, every 5 cm from 145 to 200 cm, with pounds below each range.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 145 cm (4′9.1″) | ≤ 38 kg (85 lb) | 39–52 kg (86–115 lb) | 53–62 kg (116–138 lb) | 63–73 kg (139–162 lb) | 74–83 kg (163–185 lb) | ≥ 84 kg (186 lb) |
| 150 cm (4′11.1″) | ≤ 41 kg (91 lb) | 42–56 kg (92–123 lb) | 57–67 kg (124–148 lb) | 68–78 kg (149–173 lb) | 79–89 kg (174–198 lb) | ≥ 90 kg (199 lb) |
| 155 cm (5′1.0″) | ≤ 44 kg (97 lb) | 45–59 kg (98–132 lb) | 60–71 kg (133–158 lb) | 72–83 kg (159–185 lb) | 84–95 kg (186–211 lb) | ≥ 96 kg (212 lb) |
| 160 cm (5′3.0″) | ≤ 47 kg (104 lb) | 48–63 kg (105–140 lb) | 64–76 kg (141–169 lb) | 77–89 kg (170–197 lb) | 90–102 kg (198–225 lb) | ≥ 103 kg (226 lb) |
| 165 cm (5′5.0″) | ≤ 50 kg (110 lb) | 51–67 kg (111–149 lb) | 68–81 kg (150–179 lb) | 82–95 kg (180–209 lb) | 96–108 kg (210–239 lb) | ≥ 109 kg (240 lb) |
| 170 cm (5′6.9″) | ≤ 53 kg (117 lb) | 54–72 kg (118–158 lb) | 73–86 kg (159–190 lb) | 87–101 kg (191–222 lb) | 102–115 kg (223–254 lb) | ≥ 116 kg (255 lb) |
| 175 cm (5′8.9″) | ≤ 56 kg (124 lb) | 57–76 kg (125–168 lb) | 77–91 kg (169–202 lb) | 92–107 kg (203–235 lb) | 108–122 kg (236–269 lb) | ≥ 123 kg (270 lb) |
| 180 cm (5′10.9″) | ≤ 59 kg (131 lb) | 60–80 kg (132–178 lb) | 81–97 kg (179–213 lb) | 98–113 kg (214–249 lb) | 114–129 kg (250–285 lb) | ≥ 130 kg (286 lb) |
| 185 cm (6′0.8″) | ≤ 63 kg (139 lb) | 64–85 kg (140–188 lb) | 86–102 kg (189–226 lb) | 103–119 kg (227–263 lb) | 120–136 kg (264–301 lb) | ≥ 137 kg (302 lb) |
| 190 cm (6′2.8″) | ≤ 66 kg (146 lb) | 67–90 kg (147–198 lb) | 91–108 kg (199–238 lb) | 109–126 kg (239–278 lb) | 127–144 kg (279–317 lb) | ≥ 145 kg (318 lb) |
| 195 cm (6′4.8″) | ≤ 70 kg (154 lb) | 71–94 kg (155–209 lb) | 95–113 kg (210–251 lb) | 114–132 kg (252–293 lb) | 133–151 kg (294–334 lb) | ≥ 152 kg (335 lb) |
| 200 cm (6′6.7″) | ≤ 73 kg (162 lb) | 74–99 kg (163–220 lb) | 100–119 kg (221–264 lb) | 120–139 kg (265–308 lb) | 140–159 kg (309–352 lb) | ≥ 160 kg (353 lb) |
Whole kilograms and pounds, each worked out on its own at the height shown. Feet and inches are rounded to one decimal of an inch. Each row has its own link, for example #h-170cm.
How to read a BMI chart
- Find your height in the left column. Centimeters are under each height.
- Read across to the cell that holds your weight. Its column is your BMI category.
- For the BMI number, use the printable BMI table or the BMI calculator.
Example. Say you’re 5′9″ and weigh 185 lb (83.9 kg). The overweight cell in that row runs from 169 to 202 lb, so 185 lb is overweight: a BMI of 27.3 (185 × 703 ÷ 69², rounded to one decimal; CDC formula). The healthy range at 5′9″ is 125 to 168 lb, so 185 lb is 17 lb above it.
Why other charts give different numbers
NIH’s printable BMI table has one column for each whole BMI from 19 to 54. At 5′9″ its BMI 19 column reads 128 lb and its BMI 24 column 162 lb, so a chart read from those two columns gives 128 to 162 lb. CDC’s healthy range runs from 18.5 to 24.9, and at 5′9″ that is 125 to 168 lb. Where NIH’s columns start a category, at BMI 25 and 30, its weights match this chart: 169 and 203 lb at 5′9″.
“Ideal weight” charts differ for another reason: they give one weight per height from a formula, not a range. The ideal weight calculator shows four of them.
Printable BMI table
The table gives the BMI for every height from 4′10″ to 6′6″. Find your height and move across to the heaviest weight that is not above yours: your BMI is the number at the top of that column or a little more. A weight below the 18.5 column is underweight.
Each cell is the lightest whole pound whose BMI, rounded to one decimal, reaches the number at the top of the column, so the 18.5, 25, 30, 35 and 40 columns match the category limits in the chart above. NIH’s table lists one weight for each whole BMI and can differ by a pound: at 5′9″ and BMI 19, NIH gives 128 lb and this table 129 lb, because 128 lb is a BMI of 18.9.
Start from your weight: heights for each weight
These tables turn the chart around: for each weight, they give the heights at which it falls in each category. At 160 lb, a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 means a height of 5′8″–6′6″; at 70 kg, 168–194 cm.
| Weight | UnderweightBMI under 18.5 | Healthy weightBMI 18.5–24.9 | OverweightBMI 25–29.9 | ObesityBMI 30 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 lb (45.4 kg) | 5′2″–6′6″ | 4′10″–5′1″ | — | — |
| 110 lb (49.9 kg) | 5′5″–6′6″ | 4′10″–5′4″ | — | — |
| 120 lb (54.4 kg) | 5′8″–6′6″ | 4′11″–5′7″ | 4′10″ | — |
| 130 lb (59.0 kg) | 5′11″–6′6″ | 5′1″–5′10″ | 4′10″–5′0″ | — |
| 140 lb (63.5 kg) | 6′2″–6′6″ | 5′3″–6′1″ | 4′10″–5′2″ | — |
| 150 lb (68.0 kg) | 6′4″–6′6″ | 5′6″–6′3″ | 5′0″–5′5″ | 4′10″–4′11″ |
| 160 lb (72.6 kg) | — | 5′8″–6′6″ | 5′2″–5′7″ | 4′10″–5′1″ |
| 170 lb (77.1 kg) | — | 5′10″–6′6″ | 5′4″–5′9″ | 4′10″–5′3″ |
| 180 lb (81.6 kg) | — | 6′0″–6′6″ | 5′6″–5′11″ | 4′10″–5′5″ |
| 190 lb (86.2 kg) | — | 6′2″–6′6″ | 5′7″–6′1″ | 4′10″–5′6″ |
| 200 lb (90.7 kg) | — | 6′4″–6′6″ | 5′9″–6′3″ | 4′10″–5′8″ |
| 210 lb (95.3 kg) | — | 6′5″–6′6″ | 5′11″–6′4″ | 4′10″–5′10″ |
| 220 lb (99.8 kg) | — | — | 6′0″–6′6″ | 4′10″–5′11″ |
| 230 lb (104.3 kg) | — | — | 6′2″–6′6″ | 4′10″–6′1″ |
| 240 lb (108.9 kg) | — | — | 6′4″–6′6″ | 4′10″–6′3″ |
| 250 lb (113.4 kg) | — | — | 6′5″–6′6″ | 4′10″–6′4″ |
| Weight | UnderweightBMI under 18.5 | Healthy weightBMI 18.5–24.9 | OverweightBMI 25–29.9 | ObesityBMI 30 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 kg (88.2 lb) | 148–200 cm | 145–147 cm | — | — |
| 50 kg (110.2 lb) | 165–200 cm | 145–164 cm | — | — |
| 60 kg (132.3 lb) | 181–200 cm | 156–180 cm | 145–155 cm | — |
| 70 kg (154.3 lb) | 195–200 cm | 168–194 cm | 153–167 cm | 145–152 cm |
| 80 kg (176.4 lb) | — | 180–200 cm | 164–179 cm | 145–163 cm |
| 90 kg (198.4 lb) | — | 190–200 cm | 174–189 cm | 145–173 cm |
| 100 kg (220.5 lb) | — | — | 183–200 cm | 145–182 cm |
| 110 kg (242.5 lb) | — | — | 192–200 cm | 145–191 cm |
| 120 kg (264.6 lb) | — | — | — | 145–200 cm |
| 130 kg (286.6 lb) | — | — | — | 145–200 cm |
Whole-inch heights from 4′10″ to 6′6″ and whole-centimeter heights from 145 to 200 cm, the span of the charts above; a dash means no height in that span. BMI rounded to one decimal, CDC categories. Each row has its own link, for example #w-160-lb or #w-70-kg.
The 2026 waist rule
A BMI chart can’t show where fat sits. In June 2026 the American Diabetes Association published a new chapter of its obesity standards that adds the waist to the diagnosis of obesity in adults who aren’t pregnant (ADA). CDC’s categories haven’t changed.
- BMI 30 or more: obesity, as on the chart.
- BMI 25 to 29.9: obesity when the waist is at least half the height, or 88 cm (about 35 in) or more in women and 102 cm (about 40 in) or more in men; otherwise overweight.
- Adults of Asian background: obesity from a BMI of 27.5, or from 23 with a waist at least half the height, or 80 cm (31.5 in) or more in women and 90 cm (35.5 in) or more in men (ADA, 2026).
Either waist test is enough, so the lower line decides. For most adults that is half the height: 30.0 in (76.2 cm) at 5′0″, 34.5 in (87.6 cm) at 5′9″ and 36.0 in (91.4 cm) at 6′0″. For women 5′10″ and taller it is 88 cm. For adults of Asian background it is 80 cm for women 5′3″ and taller, and 90 cm for men 5′11″ and taller.
The 54 adults left out of this comparison, whose class depends on a waist that wasn’t measured, all have a BMI under 30. That is why BMI alone gives 40.6% here and 40.3% across all 5,929 adults.
Most of the gap is adults with a BMI of 25 to 29.9: 94.5% of them have a waist at least half their height. Non-Asian adults in that range account for 27.9 percentage points of the difference, and adults of Asian background with a BMI of 23 to 29.9 for 2.8. By sex: 73.4% of men against 39.5%, and 69.4% of women against 41.8% (the BMI chart for women has the detail).
In January 2025 a Lancet commission, endorsed by 76 organizations, also proposed confirming excess body fat with a waist measure or a direct body-fat measurement in addition to BMI (Rubino et al., 2025). The waist-to-height ratio guide shows how to measure your waist.
Where US adults fall on the chart
CDC measures the height and weight of a national sample of adults. In 2021–2023 most landed above the healthy band: 32.1% overweight and 40.3% with obesity, including 9.4% with a BMI of 40 or more.
| Category | All adults | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| UnderweightBMI under 18.5 | 1.6% | 1.1% | 2.0% |
| Healthy weightBMI 18.5–24.9 | 26.0% | 24.0% | 28.1% |
| OverweightBMI 25–29.9 | 32.1% | 35.7% | 28.6% |
| Class 1 obesityBMI 30–34.9 | 20.6% | 23.6% | 17.7% |
| Class 2 obesityBMI 35–39.9 | 10.3% | 9.0% | 11.5% |
| Class 3 obesityBMI 40 or more | 9.4% | 6.7% | 12.1% |
| Adults measured | 5,929 | 2,680 | 3,249 |
Women are more likely than men to have a healthy BMI (28.1% against 24.0%) and a BMI of 40 or more (12.1% against 6.7%). Obesity as a whole is about as common in both: 41.3% of women and 39.2% of men, a difference within the margin of error.
Our calculation from CDC NHANES August 2021–August 2023 measured heights and weights (5,929 adults aged 20 and over; survey-weighted; pregnant women excluded). The obesity and BMI 40 or more rates match NCHS’s published crude rates for all adults, men and women (Data Brief 508), and the overweight rate matches the crude rate in Health E-Stat 111. Each share has a 95% margin of error of up to ±4.7 points, and each difference stated above is larger than its own margin of error. Heights from 4′10″ to 6′6″, the chart’s rows, cover 99.2% of US adults.
For what US adults weigh at each height, see average weight by height; US obesity statistics has the trends since 1960.
Age, sex and children
One chart for every adult. CDC sets adult BMI categories “regardless of age, sex, or race” (CDC), so the chart is the same for women and men at 20 or at 80. The body behind the number differs:
- Sex. At a healthy BMI, the median US woman aged 20 to 59 had 33.4% body fat and the median man 22.1% (our analysis of CDC body scans, 2011–2018). The BMI chart for women and the BMI chart for men cover each sex’s usual heights.
- Muscle. “BMI does not distinguish between fat, muscle, and bone mass” (CDC), so a very muscular adult can read as overweight.
- Age. “Loss of muscle mass in older adults reduces the accuracy of BMI, which may lead to underdiagnosis of obesity” (ADA, 2026). BMI by age covers older adults.
Children and teens. Under 20, BMI is read as a percentile for age and sex, not on this chart (CDC); the BMI calculator for children and teens works it out for ages 2 to 19.
Pregnancy. During pregnancy, CDC’s advice on weight gain depends on BMI before pregnancy; the BMI chart for women has the table.
Frequently asked questions
For adults, the same at every age: 18.5 to 24.9 from age 20 on (CDC). Under 20, BMI is read as a percentile for age and sex instead (BMI calculator for children and teens). Among US adults, 31.0% of those aged 20 to 39 have a BMI in the range, 22.3% at 40 to 59 and 24.6% at 60 and over (our calculation from CDC measurements, 2021–2023).
There isn’t a new chart. CDC’s adult categories are unchanged: a healthy weight is a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9, and CDC last reviewed its page on them in March 2024 (CDC). What changed in June 2026 is the American Diabetes Association’s definition of obesity: at a BMI of 25 to 29.9, a waist of at least half the height, or 88 cm or more in women and 102 cm or more in men, now counts as obesity, with lower lines for adults of Asian background (ADA, 2026). 71.4% of US adults meet the new thresholds, against 40.6% of the same adults by BMI alone (our calculation).
No. A BMI of 20 is inside CDC’s healthy range of 18.5 to 24.9; underweight starts below 18.5 (CDC). At 5′9″, a BMI of 20 is about 135 lb (61 kg). Only 4.6% of US adults have a BMI under 20 (our calculation from CDC measurements, 2021–2023).
Below 30. CDC’s obesity category starts at a BMI of 30.0, so 29.9 is overweight (CDC). At 5′9″ that means 202 lb or less; obesity starts at 203 lb (a BMI of 30.0, rounded to one decimal). Under the 2026 American Diabetes Association standards a lower BMI can still count: from 25 when the waist is at least half the height, or 88 cm or more in women and 102 cm or more in men. For adults of Asian background it counts from 23 with a waist at least half the height, or 80 cm or more in women and 90 cm or more in men, and from 27.5 whatever the waist (ADA, 2026).
For adults, the healthy weight depends on height, not age: it is the range that gives a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 at your height, at every age from 20 (CDC). At 5′9″ that is 125 to 168 lb (57 to 76 kg); the chart on this page has every height from 4′10″ to 6′6″. What US adults actually weigh at each height and age is on average weight by height and age. Under 20, use the BMI calculator for children and teens.
A chart that gives one “ideal” weight for each height, worked out from a formula; the ideal weight calculator shows four of them (Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi). CDC’s guidance gives a range instead: the weights with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 at your height (CDC). At 5′9″ that range is 125 to 168 lb.
It depends on your height. For adults, 70 kg is a healthy weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9) from 168 to 194 cm tall, about 5′6″ to 6′4″. Below 168 cm it is overweight, and at 152 cm or less it is obesity (CDC categories). The heights for each weight table runs from 40 to 130 kg.
For women 20 and older, 62 kg is a healthy weight from 158 to 183 cm tall, about 5′2″ to 6′0″; below 158 cm it is overweight, and at 143 cm or less it is obesity (CDC categories). For girls under 20, BMI is read as a percentile for age instead: the BMI calculator for children and teens works it out.
A healthy weight at 5′9″ (175.3 cm) is 125 to 168 lb (57 to 76 kg), a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 (CDC). Under 125 lb is underweight, 169 to 202 lb is overweight and 203 lb or more is obesity. The average US man of that height weighs about 204 lb (our calculation from CDC measurements, 2021–2023; average weight by height).
No. CDC uses the same adult categories “regardless of age, sex, or race” (CDC), so one chart serves both. The body behind the number differs: at a healthy BMI, the median US woman aged 20 to 59 had 33.4% body fat and the median man 22.1% (our analysis of CDC body scans, 2011–2018). The BMI chart for women and BMI chart for men show the chart over each sex’s usual heights.
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. About Body Mass Index (BMI): what BMI does and doesn’t measure.
- CDC. Child and Teen BMI Categories: percentiles for ages 2 to 19.
- CDC. Calculating BMI: the formulas in US units and metric.
- CDC. Weight Gain During Pregnancy: recommended gain by BMI before pregnancy (Institute of Medicine).
- NIH (NHLBI). Body Mass Index Table (NIH Publication No. 22-HL-8190, September 2022): 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 adults aged 20 and over in each BMI category (5,929 adults), of the 2026 ADA thresholds (5,875 adults), of BMI under 20 and of heights from 4′10″ to 6′6″, weighted with the exam weights, pregnant women excluded; the 600-adult figure is a sample drawn from the same files. 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.
- Fryar CD, Afful J, Saif NT. NCHS Health E-Stat 111 (Feb 2026): overweight and obesity in US adults, August 2021–August 2023.
- 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.
- Rubino F, et al. Definition and diagnostic criteria of clinical obesity (Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2025): the Lancet Commission on Clinical Obesity.
- CDC NHANES 2011–2018 DXA body scans: our analysis of body fat by BMI band, women and men aged 20 to 59 (body fat percentage chart).
Method. Charts: the lightest and heaviest whole pounds (or kilograms) whose BMI, rounded to one decimal, falls in each CDC category at each height, each unit worked out on its own; BMI = lb × 703 ÷ in², or kg ÷ m². Printable table: the lightest whole pound whose rounded BMI reaches each column. Heights for each weight: every whole inch from 4′10″ to 6′6″ and every whole centimeter from 145 to 200 cm, classed by the same rule. US adults: CDC NHANES August 2021–August 2023, adults aged 20 and over with a measured height and weight, pregnant women excluded, weighted with the exam weights; BMI, waist and height as CDC records them; 95% confidence intervals by Taylor linearization over the survey’s strata and primary sampling units, and the page states only differences whose interval excludes zero. The 2026 ADA thresholds are applied to the measured BMI, waist and height; adults identified in the survey as non-Hispanic Asian get the Asian thresholds; adults whose class depends on a waist that was not measured (54) are left out of that comparison, and the BMI-only share is computed on the same adults. The 600 dots are drawn by systematic sampling with probability proportional to the exam weight, from a shuffled list with a fixed seed.