What are "overweight" and "obesity"?
AffordableMeds.org
March 25, 2021
WEIGHT LOSS
Health care providers use the Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a measure of your weight in relation to your height, to define overweight and obesity.
Body Mass Index is a simple calculation using a person's height and weight. The formula is BMI = kg/m2 where kg is a person's weight in kilograms and m2 is their height in meters squared,
If your weight is in pounds and height is in cinches, BMI can be calculated as 699 times weight in pounds divided by height in inches squared
Example: Weight is 150 pounds and height is 66 inches. Then BMI= 699 times 150 divided by 66 squared. In this example, 66 squared is 4356. Then, BMI=699*150/4356=24.
People who have a BMI between 25 and 30 are considered overweight. Obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30 or greater.
Obesity is a chronic condition that affects more than one in three adults in the United States. Another one in three adults is overweight. In other words, two-thirds of US population is either overweight or obese.
The following table defines overweight, obesity, and severe obesity in terms of height and weight.
|
Height
|
Weight
|
|
Normal
|
Overweight
|
Obesity
|
Severe obesity
|
|
4ft 10″
(58″)
|
91 to 115 lbs.
|
119 to 138 lbs.
|
143 to 186 lbs.
|
191 to 258 lbs.
|
|
4ft 11″
(59″)
|
94 to 119 lbs.
|
124 to 143 lbs.
|
148 to 193 lbs.
|
198 to 267 lbs.
|
|
5ft
(60″)
|
97 to 123 lbs.
|
128 to 148 lbs.
|
153 to 199 lbs.
|
204 to 276 lbs.
|
|
5ft 1″
(61″)
|
100 to 127 lbs.
|
132 to 153 lbs.
|
158 to 206 lbs.
|
211 to 285 lbs.
|
|
5ft 2″
(62″)
|
104 to 131 lbs.
|
136 to 158 lbs.
|
164 to 213 lbs.
|
218 to 295 lbs.
|
|
5ft 3″
(63″)
|
107 to 135 lbs.
|
141 to 163 lbs.
|
169 to 220 lbs.
|
225 to 304 lbs.
|
|
5ft 4″
(64″)
|
110 to 140 lbs.
|
145 to 169 lbs.
|
174 to 227 lbs.
|
232 to 314 lbs.
|
|
5ft 5″
(65″)
|
114 to 144 lbs.
|
150 to 174 lbs.
|
180 to 234 lbs.
|
240 to 324 lbs.
|
|
5ft 6″
(66″)
|
118 to 148 lbs.
|
155 to 179 lbs.
|
186 to 241 lbs.
|
247 to 334 lbs.
|
|
5ft 7″
(67″)
|
121 to 153 lbs.
|
159 to 185 lbs.
|
191 to 249 lbs.
|
255 to 344 lbs.
|
|
5ft 8″
(68″)
|
125 to 158 lbs.
|
164 to 190 lbs.
|
197 to 256 lbs.
|
262 to 354 lbs.
|
|
5ft 9″
(69″)
|
128 to 162 lbs.
|
169 to 196 lbs.
|
203 to 263 lbs.
|
270 to 365 lbs.
|
|
5ft 10″
(70″)
|
132 to 167 lbs.
|
174 to 202 lbs.
|
209 to 271 lbs.
|
278 to 376 lbs.
|
|
5ft 11″
(71″)
|
136 to 172 lbs.
|
179 to 208 lbs.
|
215 to 279 lbs.
|
286 to 386 lbs.
|
|
6ft
(72″)
|
140 to 177 lbs.
|
184 to 213 lbs.
|
221 to 287 lbs.
|
294 to 397 lbs.
|
|
6ft 1″
(73″)
|
144 to 182 lbs.
|
189 to 219 lbs.
|
227 to 295 lbs.
|
302 to 408 lbs.
|
|
6ft 2″
(74″)
|
148 to 186 lbs.
|
194 to 225 lbs.
|
233 to 303 lbs.
|
311 to 420 lbs.
|
|
6ft 3″
(75″)
|
152 to 192 lbs.
|
200 to 232 lbs.
|
240 to 311 lbs.
|
319 to 431 lbs.
|
|
6ft 4″
(76″)
|
156 to 197 lbs.
|
205 to 238 lbs.
|
246 to 320 lbs.
|
328 to 443 lbs.
|
|
BMI
|
19 to 24
|
25 to 29
|
30 to 39
|
40 to 54
|