Is 160 lbs overweight for 5'9"?

No — 160 lbs is within the healthy range for 5'9".

At 160 lbs (72.6 kg) and 5'9" (175.3 cm), the BMI is 23.6 — normal weight.

For an adult who is 175.3 cm tall, the World Health Organization considers a weight between 125 and 169 kg to be healthy.

BMI scale WHO BMI categories from 14 to 42 with a marker at 23.6. Under Normal Over Ob I Ob II+ BMI 23.6 14 42
Your BMI of 23.6 sits in the normal weight band. Cutoffs: 18.5, 25, 30, 35 (WHO).

Reviewed by the SnapBMI editorial team. Last updated: .

What the numbers mean for you

You have 9 lbs (4.2 kg) of headroom before crossing into overweight (BMI 25 = 169 lbs (76.8 kg)).

Your BMI band midpoint is BMI 21.7 (147 lbs (66.7 kg)), often used as the "most protective" reference in cohort studies.

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

What this means

Staying inside this band is associated with the most favourable metabolic markers in adult populations under 65.

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 88 cm (35") at 175.3 cm.
  • Absolute cutoff for most adults: waist under 94 cm (37") is associated with meaningfully lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
  • Higher-risk zone: waist above 102 cm (40") — this is where risk climbs sharply regardless of BMI.

Precise ±5 lb neighbours at this height

WeightConversionBMICategory
155 lbs70.3 kg22.9Normal weight
156 lbs70.8 kg23.0Normal weight
157 lbs71.2 kg23.2Normal weight
158 lbs71.7 kg23.3Normal weight
159 lbs72.1 kg23.5Normal weight
160 lbs ← this page72.6 kg23.6Normal weight
161 lbs73 kg23.8Normal weight
162 lbs73.5 kg23.9Normal weight
163 lbs73.9 kg24.0Normal weight
164 lbs74.4 kg24.2Normal weight
165 lbs74.8 kg24.3Normal weight

Practical next steps

  1. Continue current habits; this BMI band is associated with the lowest health risk.
  2. Focus on protein intake (0.8–1 g per kg) and quality sleep.
  3. Track waist circumference rather than weight as you age.
  4. Annual labs are still worthwhile even at a healthy weight.

Frequently asked questions

Is 160 lbs overweight for 5'9"?

160 lbs at 5'9" gives a BMI of 23.6, which is normal weight. The healthy range for 5'9" is 125–169 lbs.

What is the healthy weight for 5'9"?

125–169 lbs.

Related calculations

Sources & references