What is the right weight for my height??

[Lennycape]

Hi Doc ... We were having a debate today and i wanted to know what you think ... I am 1.58m tall ...lol or 5'2 i think? what is the correct weight for my height? I do not want to be just skin and bones. some people say 45kg and other say 56kg ..... HELP what is the healthy weight?

[drheather]

Hi Doc ... We were having a debate today and i wanted to know what you think ... I am 1.58m tall ...lol or 5'2 i think? what is the correct weight for my height? I do not want to be just skin and bones. some people say 45kg and other say 56kg ..... HELP what is the healthy weight?

Hello,

Thanks for writing in. I love debates. This is a great question.

In order to determine what is the appropriate weight for an individual we use a measurement called body mass index or BMI. It is a measurement that is determined by taking a person's height and weight and when put in the formula it gives a number. That number is the BMI. It estimates the amount of body fat a person has.

There are different categories for BMI based on the number. A person is considered underweight with a BMI <18.5, normal weight with a BMI of 18.5-24.9, overweight with a BMI of 25-29.9, and obese with a BMI of 30 or greater.

According to your height, your normal weight can range from 104 lbs (47.3 kg) which would correspond with a BMI of 19 to 133 lbs (60.45 kg), which correspond with a BMI of just below 25. So, the answer is somewhere in between.

Keep in mind that this can change if you have a lot of muscle. For example, if a person has a high amount of muscle, they may have a higher BMI that puts them in the overweight category but certainly not be overweight but weigh more due to the amount of muscle mass. Also, if you have very little muscle then we would want your body mass index to be at the lower end.

So, I know I may not have given the answer that will declare a "winner" of this debate, but I hope that this helps. Chances are the best will be in the middle of the range I gave above. Remember that healthy weight is only one part of being healthy. There are many people that have a healthy BMI but have a high percentage of body fat or abdominal fat that increases their risk of certain diseases, such as heart disease. A healthy diet and exercise program should always be a part of your daily regimen.

Here is a link to the BMI calculator: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmi-m.htm and the BMI charts: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.htm.

Please feel free to write in anytime. :)