What is a healthy weight?
How do I know if I am a healthy weight?
In the UK, body mass index (BMI) is a widely used measure that compares your height and weight to assess weight-related health risks. If you know your height and weight you can use the NHS website to calculate your BMI.
BMI categories for adults
The following BMI categories apply to adults aged 18 years and over:
- Underweight: BMI below 18.5
- Healthy weight: BMI between 18.5 to 24.9
- Overweight: BMI between 25 to 29.9
- Obese: BMI between 30 to 39.9
- Severely obese: BMI of 40 or over.
BMI for children and teenagers
The BMI for young people aged 2-17 years is slightly different because a child’s BMI changes as they mature and varies by sex. You can use your child’s height, weight, sex and date of birth to calculate their BMI using the NHS calculator.
Have you received a letter from the National Child Measurement programme about your child’s BMI? Read more about school height and weight checks.
How accurate is BMI?
BMI for both adults and children is just one measure of health and may not be accurate for everyone. The measurement can’t tell the difference between muscle and fat, so you might be very muscular but still have a high BMI.
Sometimes waist circumference may be a better indicator of overall health. This short video from the British Heart Foundation shows how to do this accurately.
Need more help?
Even if you’re not sure if you’re ready to make a change, we’d like to hear from you. Our specialists can guide you through the process.