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.
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Why Abdominal Circumference May Matter More Than Your Weight And BMI?
When people try to improve their health, the weighing scale is usually the first thing they look at. BMI is often used to determine whether a person is underweight, has a healthy weight, is overweight or has obesity.
But there is another simple measurement that can be particularly informative for metabolic health: abdominal circumference.
Weight tells you how much. Abdominal circumference tells you where.
Two people can have exactly the same weight and BMI but have very different amounts and distribution of body fat.
One may have more muscle and less fat, while the other may carry considerably more fat around the abdomen.
This distinction matters because excess abdominal fat, particularly visceral fat around the internal organs, is associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, abnormal blood lipids, fatty liver and cardiovascular disease.
BMI cannot tell us where the fat is located.
Why the abdomen matters
As abdominal fat increases, abdominal circumference generally increases. Therefore, a reduction in abdominal circumference can be a useful indication that abdominal fat is being reduced—even when the weighing scale changes very little.
This is particularly relevant during weight loss. With adequate protein, regular resistance exercise and a balanced diet, it is possible to lose fat while preserving muscle. As a result, body weight may not decrease dramatically, while abdominal circumference may decrease significantly.
This is an important reason not to judge the success of a weight-loss programme by the weighing scale alone.
Conversely, a person may have a “normal” BMI while still carrying excessive abdominal fat and having increased metabolic risk.
Should we ignore weight and BMI?
No.
Weight remains useful for monitoring overall body mass, and BMI is a simple and useful screening measure. But neither tells us the complete story.
For an individual, it is more informative to consider weight, BMI and abdominal circumference together, along with blood pressure, blood glucose, blood lipids, physical fitness and other relevant clinical factors.
The practical message
Don’t judge your health only by what the weighing scale says.
Measure your abdomen as well.
If your weight is stable but your abdominal circumference is gradually decreasing, that can represent meaningful progress. And if your BMI appears acceptable but your abdomen is disproportionately large, it is worth paying attention to your metabolic health.
The goal is not simply to weigh less. The goal is to reduce excess abdominal fat, improve metabolic health and maintain a strong, healthy body.
Measure your abdominal circumference
Men and women should not rely only on their weight or BMI. Measure your abdominal circumference regularly and check whether it is within the healthy range recommended for your sex and ethnicity. For South Asian adults, abdominal circumference should ideally be less than 35 inches (90 cm) in men and less than 31.5 inches (80 cm) in women. A measurement above these levels indicates increased abdominal fat and may be associated with a higher risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease—even when body weight or BMI appears normal.
So, measure your abdominal circumference and keep it within the healthy range.
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.