18.5 to 24.9 – you're in the healthy weight range. 25 to 29.9 – you're in the overweight range. 30 to 39.9 – you're in the obese range. 40 or above – you're in the severely obese range.
* Your category is based on federal guidelines for healthy weight. You are underweight if you weigh 135 pounds or less and your BMI is less than 18.5. You are the right weight for your height if you weigh between 136 and 178 pounds and your BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9.
Overall, carrying an extra 20 pounds of weight can have negative effects on your heart health and blood pressure. Losing weight can help reduce the risk of these conditions and improve your overall health.
Measuring Body Mass Index
Normal weight: BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. Overweight: BMI of 25 to 29.9. Obese: BMI of 30 or higher.
Normal-weight individuals who are at a higher risk of adverse metabolic outcomes like diabetes can be considered “metabolically unhealthy normal weight” (MUNW) or “metabolically obese normal weight.” MUNW, 1 of the metabolic obesity phenotypes first mentioned in the 1980s by Ruderman et al, is characterized by ...
18.5 to 24.9 – you're in the healthy weight range. 25 to 29.9 – you're in the overweight range. 30 to 39.9 – you're in the obese range. 40 or above – you're in the severely obese range.
Women with a BMI of less than 18.5 are considered underweight. The average woman's height is 5 feet, 4 inches. If you weigh 107 pounds or less at this height, you are considered underweight with a BMI of 18.4. A healthy weight range for that woman would be 108 to 145 pounds.
In general, keep waist circumference to less than half your height. For example, for a 6-foot man (72 inches), a healthy waist size would be anything less than 36 inches. For a 5-foot-2 woman (62 inches), a healthy waist size would be anything less than 31 inches.
To lose 30 lbs at a healthy pace of 1 to 2 lbs per week, you must either reduce your calorie intake or increase your energy expenditure to generate a calorie deficit. This amounts to a 500-calorie loss for 1 lb and a 1,000-calorie deficit for 2 lbs.
To find out how much you weigh, you simply step on a scale. But your weight alone can't tell you whether you're underweight, healthy, or overweight. If you're 6'4" and you weigh 200 pounds, you're probably at a healthy weight; but if you're 5'9" and weigh 200 pounds, you're probably overweight.
You may be born naturally small and your low BMI can be due to your genes. You may have a very high metabolism and find it hard to put on weight, even if you eat foods that have a lot of calories. You may not follow a healthy, balanced diet because you forget to eat or cannot afford nutritious foods.
Earlier research has found that the most desired BMIs are approximately 18-20, considerably below the average or typical values of young women in well-fed populations.
Steady weight loss is considered 1–2 pounds a week, so losing 10 pounds may take 5–10 weeks or more. However, weight loss is not always consistent and people's experiences differ. Losing weight too fast may be unsafe.
Obesity Definition and Criteria
Morbid obesity is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 40, which equates to approximately 100 pounds overweight for men and 80 pounds for women. Obesity is a chronic disease that can cause a host of health problems and shorten your life.
Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is all about balancing the proportions of the body's contours. A lower WHR, around 0.7, is linked to higher attractiveness - it's basically the typical hourglass figure with a cinched waist and a voluminous upper and lower body.
In general if you're a woman, you want a measurement that's less than 34.5 inches. If you're a man, a number below 40 inches is ideal. A measurement that's higher than those isn't a death sentence, but it has been strongly linked with a higher risk of several serious diseases including type 2 diabetes.
Petite refers to stature not weight. Most people still think petite means skinny when in fact petite has nothing to do with weight. Petite is the term used in the fashion industry to describe a woman who is 5'3 tall or under. Petite women come in all shapes and sizes, whether they're a size 4 or 14.
Most experts recommend aiming for 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week, which equates to roughly 4-8 pounds in a month. Those with more excess weight may see slightly faster loss initially. The key is losing at a gradual rate through calorie deficit rather than drastic measures.
An analysis of 143 studies revealed that phentermine-topiramate and GLP-1 receptor agonists (like liraglutide and semaglutide) are among the most effective medications for reducing weight in people with obesity. The typical body weight reduction with these medications is 6% to 11%.