Healthy weight & BMI guide

What BMI tells you, the WHO healthy-weight bands for your height, and why muscular people should read it with caution.

1 min read

Written & reviewed by Ricardo Tapia·Last updated

The healthy-weight calculator shows your BMI (Body Mass Index = kg ÷ height²) and the healthy weight range for your height.

Reading the bands

The range applies the WHO healthy-BMI band (18.5–24.9) to your height.

BMIBand
Under 18.5Underweight
18.5–24.9Normal
25–29.9Overweight
30+Obese

BMI ignores muscle, so very muscular people can read as "overweight" while being lean. Use it as a rough guide, not a verdict — pair it with the body-fat calculator.

Try it

Check your range in the ideal-weight calculator.

Sources & references

  • World Health Organization. Body mass index (BMI) and classification of overweight and obesity.
  • Nuttall FQ. Body mass index: obesity, BMI, and health: a critical review. Nutr Today. 2015;50(3):117-128.

Educational content only. Not medical advice — consult a professional for your situation.