What counts as a healthy weight?
Ask a doctor and you won't get a single number — you'll get a range, and the range is the point. Medicine defines healthy weight for adults as any weight that puts your body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9, and for most heights that band spans fifteen to twenty kilograms. A 175 cm adult is medically 'healthy' anywhere from about 57 to 76 kg. That's a lot of room, and it's deliberate: bodies differ in build, muscle, and where they naturally settle.
This healthy weight calculator does the conversion for your exact height and shows where the other categories — underweight, overweight, obese — begin, so a weight goal can be picked with the whole map in view rather than a single point.
The math behind the range
It's the BMI formula run in reverse. BMI is weight divided by height squared, so a target weight is a target BMI multiplied by height squared. For 1.75 m: the floor is 18.5 × 3.06 ≈ 57 kg, and the ceiling is 24.9 × 3.06 ≈ 76 kg. Everything the calculator shows follows from those two multiplications.
If you'd rather start from your current weight and see which category you're in now, that's the BMI calculator's job — same math, opposite direction.
Where in the range should you aim?
Wherever your body works best, which is not necessarily the middle. Someone who lifts weights will naturally live near the top of the band with excellent health markers. Someone small-framed may feel strongest near the bottom. The range's edges matter more than its centre: drifting past either boundary is the signal worth acting on, not failing to sit at the midpoint.
Two honest caveats, the same ones that apply to all BMI-based tools. Muscle reads as weight, so athletic builds can sit 'overweight' on paper while lean in the mirror. And in many Asian populations, health risks begin rising from a BMI of about 23, meaning the practical ceiling sits lower than 24.9. Where either applies, a body composition measure tells you more — the body fat calculator is the natural companion.
And if your current weight sits outside the band and you want to move it, the calorie calculator turns the goal into a daily eating target.
Frequently asked questions about healthy weight
What is a healthy weight for my height?
For adults, WHO uses a BMI of 18.5 to under 25 as the normal range. That translates to a weight band for your height — muscle mass and frame size still matter.
Is healthy weight the same as ideal weight?
Healthy weight is a broad medically referenced range. Ideal weight formulas give single target numbers that may not fit muscular or athletic builds.
Should I aim for the middle of the range?
Not necessarily. Some people feel best at the upper or lower end. A healthcare provider can help set a realistic target for your health history.
How do I use this healthy weight calculator?
Enter your height in cm or feet/inches and click Calculate to see the healthy weight range for your height.
Sources and further reading
- World Health Organization — Obesity and overweight fact sheet
- CDC — About healthy weight and growth
- WHO Expert Consultation — Appropriate BMI for Asian populations (The Lancet, 2004)
This page is for general information only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider about weight goals.