What Is a Healthy Weight for Your Height?

The Science Behind Healthy Weight Ranges

The concept of a healthy weight range is based on decades of epidemiological research linking body weight to disease risk, longevity, and quality of life. The most widely used framework — the BMI healthy range of 18.5 to 24.9 — was established by the World Health Organization based on population studies showing that individuals in this range have the lowest overall risk of weight-related chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.

However, a healthy weight range isn't a single number — it's a span of weights associated with good health outcomes for your height. For a person who is 5'6", the healthy BMI range corresponds to 115–154 lbs. Within that range, the optimal zone for most people is roughly BMI 20–23 — not the lower bound of 18.5, which is at the edge of underweight for many body types.

Alongside the BMI range, clinical medicine uses several ideal body weight formulas — Hamwi, Devine, Robinson — that produce specific point estimates for height and sex. These were developed for pharmacological purposes but serve as useful clinical reference points for nutrition and weight management planning.

Find Your Healthy Weight Range

Enter your height, sex, and current weight to see your healthy BMI range, all four clinical weight formulas, and how far you are from your target.

Calculate My Healthy Weight Range

How to Set a Realistic and Healthy Weight Goal

1
Calculate your healthy BMI range
Your healthy weight range is defined as the weights corresponding to BMI 18.5-24.9 for your height. This gives you a floor and ceiling — both evidence-based bounds for metabolic health risk reduction.
2
Check clinical IBW formula estimates
The Hamwi, Devine, Robinson, and Miller formulas provide point estimates within or near the healthy BMI range. These are clinically referenced targets used in nutrition and pharmacy. The consensus of all four gives a useful benchmark.
3
Choose a target in the upper half of the range
For most adults, a BMI target of 22-24 is more sustainable and realistic than 18.5-20. The upper half of the healthy range still provides full health benefits while being more achievable and maintainable for most body types.
4
Use rate of change to project a timeline
Safe, sustainable weight loss is typically 0.5-1 lb per week (500-1000 calorie daily deficit). More aggressive deficits increase muscle loss risk. Calculate how many weeks it will take to reach your target at your chosen rate — then commit to the realistic timeline.
5
Track progress by trend, not daily weight
Body weight fluctuates 2-5 lbs daily from water, food volume, and hormones. Track a 7-day moving average rather than reacting to daily numbers. A downward trend over 3-4 weeks confirms progress regardless of individual day-to-day variation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is healthy weight the same for men and women?

The BMI formula is identical for both sexes, but the health implications differ. Women typically carry more body fat at the same BMI, and some research suggests women have better health outcomes at slightly lower BMI levels. The healthy range (18.5-24.9) is the same for both but may understate risk for high-fat women at the upper end and muscular men at the upper end.

How does age affect what a healthy weight looks like?

For adults under 65, the standard BMI 18.5-24.9 range applies. For adults over 65, research increasingly suggests BMI 23-27 is associated with better outcomes — slightly higher weight in older adults may protect against muscle-wasting disease and osteoporosis. Below 65, follow standard ranges; above 65, discuss with your physician.

What's more important — hitting a scale weight or improving body composition?

Body composition (muscle-to-fat ratio) matters more than scale weight for long-term health and quality of life. A strength-training program that preserves or builds muscle while losing fat may show modest scale weight changes but significant health improvements. For most people, the scale remains a useful proxy, but don't ignore strength, energy, and functional fitness as health markers.

My BMI says I'm overweight but I feel healthy — should I still lose weight?

Not necessarily. BMI is a population tool, not an individual verdict. If you're in the overweight range (25-29.9) but have normal blood pressure, blood glucose, and waist circumference — and you're physically active — your absolute health risk may be lower than your BMI implies. Consult a physician who evaluates all markers, not BMI alone.

Calculate Your Healthy Weight Range

See your BMI healthy range, all four clinical IBW formulas, and exactly how much weight you'd need to change to reach a healthy target.

Find My Healthy Weight Range