Is 160 lbs overweight for a woman at 5'2"?

Yes — 160 lbs is 24 lbs above the healthy upper limit for 5'2" (for a woman).

At 160 lbs (72.6 kg) and 5'2" (157.5 cm) for a woman, the BMI is 29.3 — overweight.

For an adult who is 157.5 cm tall, the World Health Organization considers a weight between 101 and 136 kg to be healthy.

Your BMI of 29.3 sits in the overweight band. Cutoffs: 18.5, 25, 30, 35 (WHO).

Reviewed by the SnapBMI editorial team. Last updated: 2026-07-23.

What the numbers mean for you

You are 23 lbs (10.6 kg) above the healthy upper limit (BMI 25 = 137 lbs (62.0 kg)). At a modest 500 kcal daily deficit (~0.45 kg/week), reaching the healthy range takes about 24 weeks.

You have 4 lbs (1.8 kg) of buffer before crossing into the obese range (BMI 30 = 164 lbs (74.4 kg)). A 5–10% weight reduction (8 lbs (3.6 kg) to 16 lbs (7.3 kg)) is clinically meaningful even without reaching a "normal" BMI.

Timelines assume ~7,700 kcal per kg of body fat. Real progress varies with muscle mass, adherence, and medications.

What this means

This BMI band typically becomes more health-relevant when paired with a waist measurement above 94 cm (men) or 80 cm (women).

Waist matters more than the scale

Two people can share the same BMI and have very different metabolic risk. For that reason, waist circumference is now considered a stronger predictor of cardiometabolic disease than BMI alone.

Waist-to-height rule: keep your waist under half your height — that means below 79 cm (31") at 157.5 cm.
Absolute cutoff for women: waist under 80 cm (31.5") is associated with meaningfully lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Higher-risk zone: waist above 88 cm (35") — this is where risk climbs sharply regardless of BMI.

For women at 5'2"

BMI uses the same formula for both sexes, but health interpretation differs. Women typically carry a higher percentage of body fat at the same BMI than men. A waist circumference under 35 inches (88 cm) lowers cardiometabolic risk independent of BMI.

Precise ±5 lb neighbours at this height

Weight	Conversion	BMI	Category
155 lbs	70.3 kg	28.3	Overweight
156 lbs	70.8 kg	28.5	Overweight
157 lbs	71.2 kg	28.7	Overweight
158 lbs	71.7 kg	28.9	Overweight
159 lbs	72.1 kg	29.1	Overweight
160 lbs ← this page	72.6 kg	29.3	Overweight
161 lbs	73 kg	29.4	Overweight
162 lbs	73.5 kg	29.6	Overweight
163 lbs	73.9 kg	29.8	Overweight
164 lbs	74.4 kg	30.0	Obese Class I
165 lbs	74.8 kg	30.2	Obese Class I

Practical next steps

Create a modest caloric deficit of 250–500 kcal/day for steady, sustainable loss.
Combine cardio with strength training to preserve muscle.
Track waist measurement — it often improves before scale weight.
Reduce ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened drinks first.

Frequently asked questions