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What Should Your Weight Be for Your Height?

Maintaining a healthy weight is important to overall health. People who are overweight are more likely to struggle with diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke. For adults, an accurate way to determine healthy weight according to height is to find the Body Mass Index.

  1. Body Mass Index (BMI)

    • The Body Mass Index (BMI) uses a person's weight and height to measure body fat. To calculate the BMI, take current weight and divide by height squared. Next, divide that answer by 708.

    Body Mass Index Chart

    • For adults, the BMI range for optimal weight is the same for men and women. This range is 18.5-24.9. For children and teenagers, the BMI range changes based on sex and age of the individual.

    Growth Charts

    • From birth, children are weighed and measured at the doctor's office. These measurements are plotted on a growth chart. This determines what percentile that child falls into for both height and weight. Ideally, both height and weight should be about the same percentile.

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