Is 75 kg overweight for 170 cm?
Yes — 75 kg is 2.8 kg above the healthy upper limit for 170 cm.
At 75 kg (165 lbs) and 170 cm (5'7"), the BMI is 26.0 — overweight.
Someone 170 cm tall has a healthy weight window of 53.5–72.2 kg, derived from the standard adult BMI range.
What the numbers mean for you
You are 2.7 kg (6 lbs) above the healthy upper limit (BMI 25 = 72.3 kg (159 lbs)). At a modest 500 kcal daily deficit (~0.45 kg/week), reaching the healthy range takes about 6 weeks.
You have 11.7 kg (26 lbs) of buffer before crossing into the obese range (BMI 30 = 86.7 kg (191 lbs)). A 5–10% weight reduction (3.8 kg (8 lbs) to 7.5 kg (17 lbs)) 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 for your health
A BMI in this band is moderately associated with elevated blood pressure and altered lipid profiles, but lifestyle factors strongly modify the actual risk.
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 85 cm (33") at 170 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 kg neighbours at this height
| Weight | Conversion | BMI | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 kg | 154 lbs | 24.2 | Normal weight |
| 71 kg | 157 lbs | 24.6 | Normal weight |
| 72 kg | 159 lbs | 24.9 | Normal weight |
| 73 kg | 161 lbs | 25.3 | Overweight |
| 74 kg | 163 lbs | 25.6 | Overweight |
| 75 kg ← this page | 165 lbs | 26.0 | Overweight |
| 76 kg | 168 lbs | 26.3 | Overweight |
| 77 kg | 170 lbs | 26.6 | Overweight |
| 78 kg | 172 lbs | 27.0 | Overweight |
| 79 kg | 174 lbs | 27.3 | Overweight |
| 80 kg | 176 lbs | 27.7 | Overweight |
Practical next steps
- Consistency is what the behavioural literature associates with maintained change, more than intensity.
- Recording intake for a week or two is a common way people identify unnoticed calorie sources.
- Strength training protects lean mass during a deficit.
- Waist tends to respond before the scale does.
Frequently asked questions
Is 75 kg overweight for 170 cm?
75 kg at 170 cm gives a BMI of 26.0, which is overweight. The WHO healthy range for 170 cm is 53.5–72.2 kg.
What is the healthy weight for 170 cm?
53.5–72.2 kg (118–159 lbs).
How much should I lose or gain?
To reach the healthy upper limit, the difference is 2.8 kg.