Standard BMI cut-off points for the Korean population [22] were used to categorize weight status as follows: underweight: <18.5 kg/m2, healthy weight: 18.5–22.9 kg/m2, overweight: 23–24.9 kg/m2, and obese: ≥25 kg/m2.
Korean women with a BMI of 23 kg/m2 already have a three-fold increased risk for having three or more cardiovascular risk factors compared to those with a BMI < 21 kg/m2 (Park, Yun, Park, Kim, & Choi, 2003). Thus, for Koreans, overweight is defined as 23 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2 and obesity is BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (WHO, 2000).
According to the results of the eighth Size Korea body index survey, adult Korean men had an average height of 172.5 cm, and adult Korean women had an average height of 159.6 cm — around 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 3 inches, respectively.
Obesity rates in Korea are among the lowest in the OECD, but have been increasing steadily. About 4% of the adult population is obese in Korea, and about 30% are overweight (including obese).
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.
According to former girl group trainees who have experience training in various entertainment agencies, there is a common "formula" for determining the "ideal weight" that K-Pop idols must meet prior to their debut. For girl groups, the "formula" is: (Your height in centimeters) - (120) = the ideal/goal weight.
Weighing in at only 37kg, Elris's Yukyung might be the lightest idol in K-Pop!
Muscle is denser than fat, and as it is more compact within your body, as you gain muscle mass, you end up looking thinner, no matter your physical weight. So, if you've been doing a lot of strength training lately, it's likely this is the reason that you're looking fantastic but not dropping those numbers.
Skinny fat people are often a normal weight (or underweight!) but because of their sedentariness, lack of muscle, or poor diet, they have a high percentage of body fat. Often, skinny fat people are at risk of certain medical issues as listed: Raised blood sugar, leading to insulin resistance or diabetes.
But China has a tougher measurement than global standards. WHO considers a body mass index (BMI) – a ratio of weight to height – over 25 to be overweight, and more than 30 obese. In China, a BMI greater than 24 is considered overweight, and over 28 is obese.
In 2021, the male student population aged 16 in South Korea weighed 71.5 kilograms on average. Their female classmates had an average weight of 57.8 kilograms.
To decide if a person is fat or obese, one must calculate their size, body type, and age. Anyone with a BMI of 22kgs/m2 and above is considered fat in Japan. Women in Japan consider themselves overweight if their BMI is above 23kgs/m2. On the other hand, the Japanese say their men are fat if their BMI exceeds 25kg/m2.
Normal or healthy weight is indicated by a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9, overweight is between 25 and 29.9, and obese is 30 and above. For the majority of people who are less than 6 feet 4 inches tall, weighing more than 200 lbs would place them in the “overweight” or “obese” category, according to BMI calculations.
The BMI calculates height and weight to come up with a score that is indicative of a class of health risk. A score of 18.5 to 25 is typically considered a healthy BMI. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese. An overweight status begins to constitute a health risk.
This is what might politely be called the chubby category, with body mass indexes (a measure of weight for height) of 25 to 30. A woman, for instance, who is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs between 146 and 175 pounds.
A teen who is overweight has a BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile for age and gender. They are obese if the BMI is greater than the 95th percentile for age and gender.