Is 170 lbs overweight for 5'9"?
Yes — 170 lbs is 1 lbs above the healthy upper limit for 5'9".
At 170 lbs (77.1 kg) and 5'9" (175.3 cm), the BMI is 25.1 — overweight.
At 175.3 cm, the BMI-based healthy weight range spans 126 kg to 169 kg. No single point inside that band is established as individually optimal.
What the numbers mean for you
You are 1 lbs (0.3 kg) above the healthy upper limit (BMI 25 = 169 lbs (76.8 kg)). At a modest 500 kcal daily deficit (~0.45 kg/week), reaching the healthy range takes about 1 weeks.
You have 33 lbs (15.1 kg) of buffer before crossing into the obese range (BMI 30 = 203 lbs (92.2 kg)). A 5–10% weight reduction (8 lbs (3.9 kg) to 17 lbs (7.7 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 adds information BMI cannot
Two people can share the same BMI and carry very different amounts of abdominal fat. Waist circumference captures that difference, which is why clinical guidance (NICE CG189, WHO 2008) recommends reading it alongside BMI rather than instead of it.
- Waist-to-height rule: guidance suggests keeping waist below half your height — below 88 cm (35") at 175.3 cm.
- Sex-specific thresholds: increased risk from 94 cm (37") for men and 80 cm (31.5") for women; substantially increased risk from 102 cm (40") and 88 cm (34.6") respectively. There is no unisex waist threshold.
- What it does not do: waist is another screening measurement. It does not diagnose anything. These waist cut-offs were derived mainly from European-origin populations. WHO notes that equivalent risk occurs at lower waist values in South Asian, Chinese, Japanese and other Asian populations, so they are population-specific rather than universal. The waist-to-height rule above is the more portable check (NICE NG246, for adults with a BMI below 35).
Precise ±5 lb neighbours at this height
| Weight | Conversion | BMI | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 165 lbs | 74.8 kg | 24.3 | Normal weight |
| 166 lbs | 75.3 kg | 24.5 | Normal weight |
| 167 lbs | 75.8 kg | 24.7 | Normal weight |
| 168 lbs | 76.2 kg | 24.8 | Normal weight |
| 169 lbs | 76.7 kg | 25.0 | Overweight |
| 170 lbs ← this page | 77.1 kg | 25.1 | Overweight |
| 171 lbs | 77.6 kg | 25.3 | Overweight |
| 172 lbs | 78 kg | 25.4 | Overweight |
| 173 lbs | 78.5 kg | 25.5 | Overweight |
| 174 lbs | 78.9 kg | 25.7 | Overweight |
| 175 lbs | 79.4 kg | 25.8 | Overweight |
Practical next steps
- A deficit of roughly 250–500 kcal per day is the range most guidance associates with steady, sustainable loss.
- Combining cardio with strength work is what preserves muscle during weight loss.
- Waist measurement often improves before scale weight does.
- Sugar-sweetened drinks are the intake most commonly identified as the easiest reduction.
Frequently asked questions
Is 170 lbs overweight for 5'9"?
170 lbs at 5'9" gives a BMI of 25.1, which is overweight. The healthy range for 5'9" is 126–169 lbs.
What is the healthy weight for 5'9"?
126–169 lbs.