How to read this BMI chart
Find your height in the left-hand column, then read across the row. Each colored cell shows the weight range that falls into a given BMI category at that height. Whichever column your weight lands in is your category — underweight, healthy, overweight or obese. Use the toggle above the chart to switch between pounds and kilograms, and type your height into the box to highlight your exact row.
For example, a person who is 5 feet 9 inches tall has a healthy weight range of 125 to 169 lbs. At 175 lbs they would be in the overweight column, and at 205 lbs they would cross into the obese column. The chart does the BMI math for you so you never have to pick up a calculator.
BMI categories and what they mean
The colored bands in the chart follow the World Health Organization category cutoffs. The CDC uses the same thresholds. A reading inside the healthy range is associated with the lowest risk of weight-related disease in most large population studies.
| BMI Range | Category | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Below 18.5 | Underweight | Below healthy weight range |
| 18.5 — 24.9 | Normal weight | Healthy weight range |
| 25.0 — 29.9 | Overweight | Above healthy weight range |
| 30.0 — 34.9 | Obese, class I | Moderate |
| 35.0 — 39.9 | Obese, class II | Severe |
| 40.0 and above | Obese, class III | Very severe |
Source: BMI categories from the World Health Organization — Obesity and Overweight Fact Sheet and the CDC Adult BMI guidelines. Class I, II, III obesity subcategories follow WHO classification.
How the chart weights are calculated
Every number in the chart comes from the standard BMI formula, solved for weight at each category boundary. To find the weight at a given BMI for your height, multiply the BMI by your height in meters squared. The imperial version uses a factor of 703 so pounds and inches produce the same result.
Weight (kg) = BMI × Height (m)²
// Weight at a given BMI — imperial
Weight (lbs) = BMI × Height (in)² ÷ 703
// Example: healthy ceiling (BMI 25) at 5'9" = 69 in
25 × 69² ÷ 703 = 169 lbs
This is why a taller person can weigh considerably more while staying in the healthy range. Weight scales with the square of height, so a 6 foot 2 inch adult has a healthy range of 144 to 195 lbs while a 5 foot 4 inch adult tops out at 146 lbs.
Healthy weight range by height
The healthy column of the chart is the span of weights that put you between BMI 18.5 and 24.9. Here are a few common heights at a glance — read the full chart above for every height in one-inch and three-centimeter steps.
- 5'2" (157 cm) — healthy weight 101 to 137 lbs (46 to 62 kg).
- 5'6" (168 cm) — healthy weight 115 to 155 lbs (52 to 70 kg).
- 5'9" (175 cm) — healthy weight 125 to 169 lbs (57 to 77 kg).
- 6'0" (183 cm) — healthy weight 136 to 184 lbs (62 to 84 kg).
- 6'3" (191 cm) — healthy weight 148 to 200 lbs (67 to 91 kg).
Why the chart can be misleading
The chart is mathematically exact, but BMI itself has well-known blind spots. It is built only from height and weight, so it cannot tell whether your weight is muscle, fat, bone or fluid. There are groups where the chart will place you in a category that does not reflect your real body composition.
- Muscular athletes — strength athletes often land in the overweight or obese columns while carrying very low body fat. Their weight is muscle, not fat.
- Older adults — people over 65 may lose muscle and bone while gaining fat, which can hide a high body fat percentage at a "healthy" chart position.
- People with low muscle mass — a sedentary person can land in the healthy column while still carrying excess fat, sometimes called "skinny fat."
- Pregnancy and postpartum — the chart does not apply during pregnancy or the early postpartum period.
- Children and teenagers — under 20, BMI is read from age-and-sex percentile charts, not this adult chart.
Important
Not medical advice. This chart is a screening reference and does not diagnose health, body composition or fitness. It is intended for adults aged 20 and older. If your position on the chart concerns you, talk to your clinician — they can interpret it alongside body composition, family history and blood work.
- Children and teens: use the CDC BMI-for-age growth charts or ask your pediatrician.
- Pregnancy and postpartum: BMI does not apply during these periods.
- If you have or suspect an eating disorder, please seek professional support before making weight change plans.
The BMI chart for adults 65 and older
Several large studies suggest the BMI range associated with the lowest mortality risk shifts slightly higher in older adults. A 2014 meta-analysis covering more than 200,000 older adults found the lowest risk of death between BMI 23 and 27. For seniors, the underweight and lower-healthy rows of the chart deserve more caution than the overweight rows, largely because of muscle loss, bone density loss and frailty.
Source: Winter, J. E. et al. (2014). BMI and all-cause mortality in older adults: a meta-analysis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 99(4), 875–890.
Beyond the chart — better measures of body composition
If your position on the chart sits near a category line, a second measurement usually clarifies the picture more than re-reading your BMI.
- BMI calculator — get your exact BMI number and BMI Prime instead of a chart band.
- Body fat percentage — measures actual fat tissue with the US Navy tape method. Best when high or low muscle mass makes BMI mislead.
- Body Roundness Index (BRI) — uses waist circumference and height. A 2024 JAMA study found BRI predicted all-cause mortality more accurately than BMI for many people.
- Reverse BMI calculator — work backwards from a goal BMI to the exact weight you need to reach it.
Frequently asked questions
Find your height in the left column, then read across the row. Each row shows the weight range that falls into each BMI category for that height. The column your weight lands in tells you whether you are underweight, healthy, overweight or obese.
Your healthy weight range is the span of weights that put you between BMI 18.5 and 24.9 at your height. For example, a 5 foot 9 inch adult has a healthy range of about 125 to 169 lbs (57 to 77 kg). Use the chart above to find the exact range for your height.
A person who is 5 feet 9 inches tall (175 cm) has a healthy weight range of roughly 125 to 169 lbs (57 to 77 kg), which corresponds to a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. Above 169 lbs is overweight and above 203 lbs is in the obese range.
No. The standard BMI chart uses the same height and weight thresholds for both men and women. Women on average carry a higher body fat percentage than men at the same BMI, but the WHO category cutoffs in the chart are identical for both sexes.
Overweight begins at a BMI of 25. On the chart, it is the weight range just above the healthy column for your height. For a 5 foot 6 inch adult, overweight starts around 155 lbs (70 kg) and obese starts around 186 lbs (85 kg).
The chart still applies, but research suggests adults over 65 may have the lowest mortality risk at a slightly higher BMI of 23 to 27. For seniors, the underweight and lower-healthy rows of the chart deserve more caution than the overweight rows because of muscle and bone loss.
The chart is mathematically exact for converting height and weight into a BMI category. Its limitation is BMI itself, which does not distinguish muscle from fat. Very muscular or very lean people may land in a category that does not reflect their actual body composition.
The World Health Organization defines a healthy BMI as 18.5 to 24.9 for adults. Below 18.5 is underweight, 25 to 29.9 is overweight, and 30 and above is obese. These are the cutoffs used throughout the chart on this page.