BMI Chart for Men
Find your healthy weight range by height. This table covers men from 5'4" (163 cm) to 6'4" (193 cm) using WHO BMI classifications — underweight, normal, overweight, and obese.
Table Legend
Metric Chart (cm / kg)
| Height | Underweight | Normal weight | Overweight | Obese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 163 cm (5'4") | < 49 kg | 49–66 kg | 67–79 kg | ≥ 80 kg |
| 165 cm (5'5") | < 50 kg | 50–68 kg | 68–81 kg | ≥ 82 kg |
| 168 cm (5'6") | < 52 kg | 52–70 kg | 71–84 kg | ≥ 85 kg |
| 170 cm (5'7") | < 54 kg | 54–72 kg | 73–86 kg | ≥ 87 kg |
| 173 cm (5'8") | < 55 kg | 55–74 kg | 75–89 kg | ≥ 90 kg |
| 175 cm (5'9") | < 57 kg | 57–76 kg | 77–91 kg | ≥ 92 kg |
| 178 cm (5'10") | < 59 kg | 59–79 kg | 80–94 kg | ≥ 95 kg |
| 180 cm (5'11") | < 60 kg | 60–81 kg | 82–97 kg | ≥ 98 kg |
| 183 cm (6'0") | < 62 kg | 62–83 kg | 84–99 kg | ≥ 100 kg |
| 185 cm (6'1") | < 63 kg | 63–85 kg | 86–102 kg | ≥ 103 kg |
| 188 cm (6'2") | < 65 kg | 65–88 kg | 89–105 kg | ≥ 106 kg |
| 190 cm (6'3") | < 67 kg | 67–90 kg | 91–108 kg | ≥ 109 kg |
| 193 cm (6'4") | < 69 kg | 69–93 kg | 94–111 kg | ≥ 112 kg |
Imperial Chart (ft/in · lbs)
| Height | Underweight | Normal weight | Overweight | Obese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5'4" | < 108 lbs | 108–145 lbs | 146–174 lbs | ≥ 175 lbs |
| 5'5" | < 111 lbs | 111–149 lbs | 150–179 lbs | ≥ 180 lbs |
| 5'6" | < 115 lbs | 115–154 lbs | 155–185 lbs | ≥ 186 lbs |
| 5'7" | < 118 lbs | 118–159 lbs | 160–190 lbs | ≥ 191 lbs |
| 5'8" | < 122 lbs | 122–163 lbs | 164–196 lbs | ≥ 197 lbs |
| 5'9" | < 125 lbs | 125–168 lbs | 169–202 lbs | ≥ 203 lbs |
| 5'10" | < 129 lbs | 129–173 lbs | 174–208 lbs | ≥ 209 lbs |
| 5'11" | < 133 lbs | 133–178 lbs | 179–214 lbs | ≥ 215 lbs |
| 6'0" | < 136 lbs | 136–183 lbs | 184–220 lbs | ≥ 221 lbs |
| 6'1" | < 140 lbs | 140–188 lbs | 189–226 lbs | ≥ 227 lbs |
| 6'2" | < 144 lbs | 144–194 lbs | 195–233 lbs | ≥ 234 lbs |
| 6'3" | < 148 lbs | 148–199 lbs | 200–239 lbs | ≥ 240 lbs |
| 6'4" | < 152 lbs | 152–204 lbs | 205–245 lbs | ≥ 246 lbs |
How BMI is Calculated
BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height² (m²). For example, a man who is 180 cm tall and weighs 80 kg has a BMI of 80 ÷ 3.24 = 24.7 — well within the normal range.
The WHO defines normal weight as a BMI of 18.5–24.9. The boundaries in this chart are exact: the normal column is the weight range that produces a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 at that height.
BMI for Men: What the Research Says
Large studies consistently show that men with BMI in the 18.5–24.9 range have the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality. However, BMI is an imperfect tool for men specifically because:
- Muscle mass: Men carry more lean mass than women. A muscular man can have a BMI of 27 while carrying very little body fat. The chart would label him "overweight" even though his health risk is low.
- Waist circumference matters too: Men with a waist above 94 cm (37 in) face elevated cardiometabolic risk regardless of BMI. Above 102 cm (40 in) risk rises substantially.
- Age shifts: After 40, men naturally gain fat and lose muscle, so BMI can underestimate risk in older men at the same BMI value.
Average BMI for Men by Age (US)
| Age group | Average BMI | Average weight (5'9" / 175 cm) |
|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 26.5 | ~78 kg / ~172 lbs |
| 30–39 | 27.5 | ~81 kg / ~179 lbs |
| 40–49 | 28.2 | ~83 kg / ~183 lbs |
| 50–59 | 28.6 | ~84 kg / ~186 lbs |
| 60–69 | 28.8 | ~85 kg / ~187 lbs |
Source: NHANES data (CDC). The average adult American man is overweight by WHO standards. Being average is not the same as being healthy.
How to Use This BMI Chart Effectively
This chart gives you the weight range that corresponds to each WHO BMI category at your exact height. To use it: find your height in the left column of the metric or imperial table, then read across to see the weight boundaries for underweight, normal, overweight, and obese classifications. The numbers are exact — not approximations — because they are calculated directly from the WHO formula at each height increment.
A few things to bear in mind. First, the healthy weight range at any given height spans roughly 15–20 kilograms. A 180 cm man has a healthy range from about 60 kg to 81 kg — a 21 kg window. Where you sit within that window matters less than whether you are inside it. Second, the boundaries are thresholds, not cliffs. A BMI of 25.1 (just into "overweight") carries essentially no different health risk than 24.9 ("normal"). The categories are useful for population statistics and clinical screening; they should not be read as binary health verdicts.
Third, if your weight puts you in the overweight or obese column, the first step is not to aim for the bottom of the normal range. The evidence consistently shows that gradual, sustained weight loss of 5–10% of body weight produces meaningful health improvements even if it does not change your BMI category.
BMI and Muscle Mass: The Problem Specific to Men
The most common misclassification in male BMI assessment is the muscular man who registers as overweight or even obese. Because BMI divides total weight by height squared, it does not distinguish between fat mass and lean mass. A man who weighs 95 kg at 180 cm has a BMI of 29.3 — firmly in the overweight category — regardless of whether those 95 kilograms consist primarily of muscle or fat.
Research on this misclassification shows that roughly 25–30% of men classified as overweight by BMI have body fat percentages in the healthy or athlete range when measured directly. Resistance-trained men are particularly prone to this. A competitive powerlifter or rugby player at 100 kg and 180 cm (BMI 30.9) may have 15% body fat — well within the athletic range — while being classified as obese.
This does not mean BMI is useless for men. It means BMI should be read alongside waist circumference, which is a better proxy for the visceral fat that actually drives cardiovascular and metabolic risk. A man at BMI 29 with a waist of 88 cm and a physically active lifestyle faces a very different health picture than a man at BMI 29 with a waist of 105 cm and a sedentary lifestyle — even though both have the same BMI.
BMI Across the Male Lifespan
BMI standards do not change with age, but what those BMI numbers mean does. The key issue is that body composition shifts throughout life even when weight stays constant. Men typically lose muscle mass at a rate of 3–8% per decade after age 30 (a process called sarcopenia) while fat mass tends to increase. This means a man at BMI 24 at age 35 and BMI 24 at age 60 may have very different underlying body compositions — the 60-year-old is likely carrying more fat and less muscle despite the identical BMI value.
Some researchers have proposed higher BMI thresholds for older adults (the "normal" range starting at 22 rather than 18.5, and the cut-off for action moving from 25 to 27 in men over 65), partly because modest overweight in older adults is associated with better outcomes in acute illness and recovery from surgery. However, the WHO has not adopted these age-adjusted thresholds, and the charts on this page use the standard universal thresholds that are used in clinical practice globally.
For men over 50, a waist circumference measurement is particularly important as a complement to BMI. Abdominal fat accumulation accelerates after 50 and is the primary driver of the cardiovascular and metabolic risks associated with higher BMI in older men.
What to Do If Your BMI Is Outside the Healthy Range
If your BMI falls in the overweight or obese category and you are not a trained athlete with high muscle mass, the research points clearly toward what is most effective. Aerobic exercise — not just any physical activity, but sustained moderate-intensity cardio — is the single most effective intervention for reducing the visceral fat that drives health risk, independent of weight loss. The INTERHEART study and subsequent meta-analyses consistently show that physical activity level is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular event risk than BMI alone.
For weight reduction specifically, a modest caloric deficit (400–600 kcal below maintenance) combined with adequate protein intake (1.4–1.6 g/kg of body weight) and resistance training produces the best outcomes: fat loss while preserving or gaining lean mass. Rapid weight loss strategies consistently produce more muscle loss and higher rates of weight regain.
If your BMI is in the underweight category, the priority is ruling out an underlying cause before addressing the weight. Unintentional weight loss or persistent underweight warrants medical investigation rather than dietary intervention alone.
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