Is 160 lbs overweight for a woman at 5'9"?
No — 160 lbs is within the healthy range for 5'9" (for a woman).
At 160 lbs (72.6 kg) and 5'9" (175.3 cm) for a woman, the BMI is 23.6 — normal weight.
At 175.3 cm, the BMI-based healthy weight range spans 125 kg to 169 kg, with the midpoint considered the most statistically protective.
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
Multi-decade studies (notably the NIH-AARP cohort of more than 500,000 adults) link this BMI band to the lowest all-cause mortality.
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 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 5'9"
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 | 22.9 | Normal weight |
| 156 lbs | 70.8 kg | 23.0 | Normal weight |
| 157 lbs | 71.2 kg | 23.2 | Normal weight |
| 158 lbs | 71.7 kg | 23.3 | Normal weight |
| 159 lbs | 72.1 kg | 23.5 | Normal weight |
| 160 lbs ← this page | 72.6 kg | 23.6 | Normal weight |
| 161 lbs | 73 kg | 23.8 | Normal weight |
| 162 lbs | 73.5 kg | 23.9 | Normal weight |
| 163 lbs | 73.9 kg | 24.0 | Normal weight |
| 164 lbs | 74.4 kg | 24.2 | Normal weight |
| 165 lbs | 74.8 kg | 24.3 | Normal weight |
Practical next steps
- Keep a stable routine of movement, sleep (7–9 h), and balanced meals.
- Add resistance training to slow age-related muscle loss.
- Watch the trend, not the daily fluctuation — month-over-month is what matters.
- Check blood pressure and cholesterol annually.
Frequently asked questions
Is 160 lbs overweight for a woman at 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.
What waist size is healthy for a woman at 5'9"?
Under 35 inches (88 cm) is associated with lower cardiometabolic risk.