BMI for men is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, with the same adult categories as for women: 18.5 to 24.9 is a healthy weight, 25 to 29.9 overweight, and 30 or more obesity. A man who is 5 ft 10 in and weighs 180 lb has a BMI of 25.8 — just into overweight; the healthy range at his height is 129 to 173 lb.
For men the biggest weakness of BMI is muscle: a man who trains can be "overweight" with little fat. So this calculator adds an estimate of your body fat and, if you enter it, a waist check — the measurement that tells muscle from belly fat.
Worked example
Height: 5 ft 10 inWeight: 190 lbAge: 40 yearsWaist: 38 in
Your BMI: 27.3 Overweight
The healthy range at 5 ft 10 in is 129 to 173 lb, so 190 lb is 17 lb over. The 38-inch waist — a ratio of 0.54 — says the extra weight is not all muscle.
Open this example in the calculator →How to use the BMI Calculator for Men
- Choose US or metric units and enter your height and weight.
- Add your age for a body-fat estimate (18 or over).
- Optionally measure your waist level with your belly button, relaxed, and enter it.
- Read your BMI, healthy weight range, body-fat estimate and what your waist says.
Is BMI accurate for men?
For most men, yes, as a first screen: across large groups a higher BMI tracks more body fat and higher risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. For an individual man it can mislead in two directions:
- Muscle reads as fat. Rugby players, lifters and many manual workers have BMIs of 27 or more with lean waists.
- Fat can hide in a "healthy" BMI. A man with little muscle and a growing belly can sit at a BMI of 24 and still carry risky visceral fat.
Both are caught by the same measurement: the waist. The American Medical Association advised in 2023 that BMI should be used alongside measures like waist circumference, not alone.
Waist size for men
The WHO marks increased risk for men at a waist of 94 cm (37 in) and substantially increased risk at 102 cm (40 in). Those figures were set for men of European background; lower ones (often 90 cm) are used for South Asian, Chinese and Japanese men. A rule that works for any height and background is NICE's: keep your waist to less than half your height — under 35 inches if you are 5 ft 10 in.
Measure in the right place: around the middle at belly-button level, relaxed, after breathing out. Trouser size is usually 2 to 4 inches smaller than a true waist measurement, because trousers sit below the belly.
Healthy weight for men by height
| Height | Healthy weight (BMI 18.5–24.9) |
|---|---|
| 5 ft 4 in | 108–145 lb |
| 5 ft 6 in | 115–154 lb |
| 5 ft 8 in | 122–164 lb |
| 5 ft 10 in | 129–173 lb |
| 6 ft 0 in | 137–183 lb |
| 6 ft 2 in | 144–194 lb |
| 6 ft 4 in | 152–204 lb |
The same ranges apply to women. Tall men may prefer the new BMI in the result, which corrects ordinary BMI's habit of overstating weight at the tall end.
Body fat ranges for men
The American Council on Exercise groups men's body fat as: essential fat 2–5%, athletes 6–13%, fitness 14–17%, average 18–24%, and 25% or more as obese. The estimate in your result comes from your BMI and age, so it shares BMI's blind spot for muscle. For a better estimate, use the body fat calculator, which uses the US Navy tape-measure method.
Losing weight as a man
If your BMI and waist are both high, the gains from losing even a little are real: about 5% of body weight is enough to improve blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol for many people. The calorie calculator gives a daily target, and the goal weight calculator shows how long a target would take at a safe pace.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy BMI for a man?
The same as for a woman: 18.5 to 24.9. Men of South Asian, Chinese or other Asian background are often advised to stay below 23, because their risk of diabetes and heart disease rises at a lower BMI.
What should a 6-foot man weigh?
A healthy weight at 6 ft 0 in is 137 to 183 lb (62 to 83 kg) — a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. A muscular man may weigh more than that with a healthy waist.
I lift weights. Is my BMI wrong?
BMI is not wrong, but it does not distinguish muscle from fat, so it can overstate how much fat you carry. If your BMI is over 25 and your waist is less than half your height, the extra weight is likely mostly muscle. A body-fat estimate from tape measurements helps too.
What waist size is too big for a man?
Risk starts to rise at 94 cm (37 in) and is substantially raised at 102 cm (40 in), according to the WHO. Keeping your waist under half your height is a simpler target that adjusts for your size.
Is body fat percentage better than BMI?
It measures what BMI only estimates, so it is more informative for one person — but only if it is measured well. Home scales and tape methods have errors of several percentage points. BMI plus a waist measurement is a reliable, free combination.
Does BMI apply to older men?
The categories are the same, but at older ages a BMI slightly above 25 is not linked with a higher risk of death, and losing weight unintentionally is a warning sign. See the BMI calculator for seniors.
Sources
- Obesity and overweight (fact sheet) — World Health Organization
- Adult BMI Categories — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Deurenberg P, Weststrate JA, Seidell JC. Body mass index as a measure of body fatness: age- and sex-specific prediction formulas. Br J Nutr 1991;65:105–114 — British Journal of Nutrition
- Waist circumference and waist–hip ratio: report of a WHO expert consultation — World Health Organization
- Overweight and obesity management (NG246), 2025 — National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK)
- Ashwell M, Gibson S. Waist-to-height ratio as an indicator of “early health risk”. BMJ Open 2016;6:e010159 — BMJ Open
- Percent Body Fat Calculator and categories — American Council on Exercise
- AMA: Use of BMI alone is an imperfect clinical measure (2023) — American Medical Association
For general information only — not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from a doctor. How we calculate.