Find Out If You Are Slim or Fat
The four best measures of assessing whether your weight is within the normal range or not are using a standard height for weight chart, measuring your waist at a specific point, calculating your waist to hip ratio and calculating your BMI.
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Height For Weight Chart:
You can use the following height for weight chart to check if you fit into the normal range of weight for your height.
This chart is based on BMI ranges of 18.5–22.9, which is considered healthy for South Asians (as per WHO and Indian health ministry guidelines).
Frame size (small, medium, large) can shift these values by ±2–4 kg.
For those with high muscle mass or athletes, weight can be higher without indicating excess fat.
Height For Weight Chart For Indian Men And Women
| Height | Ideal Weight (Men) | Ideal Weight (Women) |
| 4’10” (147 cm) | 45 – 51 kg | 42 – 48 kg |
| 4’11” (150 cm) | 46 – 53 kg | 43 – 50 kg |
| 5’0” (152 cm) | 47 – 55 kg | 45 – 52 kg |
| 5’1” (155 cm) | 49 – 57 kg | 46 – 54 kg |
| 5’2” (157 cm) | 51 – 59 kg | 47 – 55 kg |
| 5’3” (160 cm) | 52 – 61 kg | 49 – 57 kg |
| 5’4” (163 cm) | 54 – 63 kg | 51 – 59 kg |
| 5’5” (165 cm) | 56 – 65 kg | 53 – 61 kg |
| 5’6” (168 cm) | 58 – 67 kg | 55 – 63 kg |
| 5’7” (170 cm) | 60 – 69 kg | 57 – 65 kg |
| 5’8” (173 cm) | 62 – 71 kg | 59 – 67 kg |
| 5’9” (175 cm) | 64 – 73 kg | 61 – 69 kg |
| 5’10” (178 cm) | 66 – 75 kg | 63 – 71 kg |
| 5’11” (180 cm) | 68 – 77 kg | 65 – 73 kg |
| 6’0” (183 cm) | 70 – 79 kg | 67 – 75 kg |
This is based on BMI ranges of 18.5–22.9, which is considered healthy for South Asians (as per WHO and Indian health ministry guidelines).
Frame size (small, medium, large) can shift these values by ±2–4 kg.
For those with high muscle mass or athletes, weight can be higher without indicating excess fat.
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Waist Measurement:
Abdominal obesity:
Waist circumference of more than 90 cm (35.4 inches) in Indian men and 80 cm (31.5 inches) in women indicates presence of excess visceral fat deep inside the abdomen and it is considered to be abdominal obesity.
Excess visceral fat is one of the hallmarks of metabolic syndrome which leads to hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and strokes.
Waist measurement has to be taken with the tape placed horizontal at the mid point between the lowest point of the last thoracic rib and the highest point of the iliac crest or the hip bone, this level generally coincides with a point about one inch above the navel (umbilicus), but the position of the navel can vary in grossly abdominally obese persons.
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Body Mass Index or B.M.I
You can calculate your B.M.I. by using the following formula –
B.M.I. = Weight (kg) / [Height (m)] 2
Once you calculate your B.M.I., you can use the following table to find out your health status.
| B.M.I. | HEALTH STATUS |
| Up to 18.5 | You are underweight. |
| 18.5 to 24.9 | Your weight is healthy. |
| 25 to 29.9 | You are overweight. You need to lose weight. |
| 30 and above | You are obese, and at a health risk. You must lose weight. |
For those with high muscle mass or athletes, B.M.I. can be higher without indicating excess fat.
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Waist To Hip Ratio:
Another parameter for assessing your weight is to measure the waist-to-hip ratio.
Standard Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) in Indian Men and Women:
The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is a simple yet effective measure to assess abdominal obesity, which is a key risk factor for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Here are the standard WHR values recommended for Indian adults:
Indian Men
Normal (Low Risk): WHR < 0.90
Moderate Risk: WHR 0.90–0.99
High Risk (Central Obesity): WHR ≥ 1.00
Indian Women
Normal (Low Risk): WHR < 0.80
Moderate Risk: WHR 0.80–0.84
High Risk (Central Obesity): WHR ≥ 0.85
Notes:
WHR = Waist circumference ÷ Hip circumference
These cut-offs are more conservative for Asian populations, including Indians, because of higher body fat percentage and risk at lower BMI/WHR levels.
WHR is particularly useful when BMI is normal but visceral fat is elevated.
Also read the article ‘Diseases Associated With Obesity‘ on this website. All our contact details are available on the ‘Contact Us’ page of this website. Get in touch with us through the ‘Contact Us’ page on this website.