Healthy Weight Calculator guide
Healthy Weight Calculator: Healthy Weight Range for Your Height
Use our healthy weight calculator to find the healthy weight range for your height in kg and stones, using the NHS and NICE BMI ranges.
By the AllCalculator editorial teamUpdated 16 October 20262 min read
A healthy weight isn't a single number but a range, and it depends on your height. Our Healthy Weight Calculator shows yours in kilograms and stones and pounds.
How to use the calculator (Healthy Weight Calculator)
- Enter your height.
- Optionally, enter your current weight to see your BMI.
- Choose your ethnic background.
You'll see the healthy weight range for your height and, if you entered your weight, how far you are from it.
How it works
The healthy range is based on BMI (body mass index), which is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared. The NHS counts a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 as healthy for most adults, so:
- Lowest healthy weight = 18.5 × height²
- Highest healthy weight = 24.9 × height²
Ethnicity and BMI
NICE advises that people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and other conditions at a lower BMI. For these groups:
| Category | BMI |
|---|---|
| Healthy weight | 18.5 to 22.9 |
| Overweight | 23 to 27.4 |
| Obese | 27.5 or more |
A worked example
With the calculator's default settings, someone who is 168cm tall has a healthy weight range of 52.2kg to 70.3kg, or 8st 3lb to 11st 1lb.
Frequently asked questions
Does BMI work for everyone?
No. It doesn't account for muscle, so very muscular people can have a high BMI and still be healthy. It's also not used in the same way for children, pregnant women or older adults.
What else should I check?
Your waist size. The NHS suggests keeping your waist measurement to less than half your height.
I'm outside the range. What should I do?
If you're concerned about your weight, speak to your GP. The NHS also has free support and the NHS Weight Loss Plan app.
To work out your BMI, use our BMI Calculator. For a target weight using medical formulas, see our Ideal Weight Calculator.
Sources and further reading
- NHS: Calculate your body mass index (BMI) for adultsnhs.uk
- NHS: Healthy weightnhs.uk
- NICE: Obesity – identification, assessment and management (CG189)nice.org.uk
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This guide is general information to help you understand your options. It isn't financial, tax, legal or building advice and doesn't take your personal circumstances into account. Figures were checked when the guide was last updated and can change, so confirm anything important with GOV.UK, HMRC, a regulated adviser or a qualified tradesperson.