Muscle mass and male BMI
Men carry more muscle on average, and muscle is denser than fat. A rugby player of 1.80 m and 95 kg has a BMI of 29.3 — technically overweight — while having a lean waist. For most men, though, a BMI over 25 does reflect extra fat. A simple check: if your waist is more than half your height, the extra weight is probably not all muscle.
Waist size for men
Men tend to store extra fat around the abdomen, the pattern most closely linked with heart disease and type 2 diabetes. A waist above 94 cm (37 in) means increased risk and above 102 cm (40 in) substantially increased risk; for South Asian men the threshold is 90 cm (35.5 in). Measure midway between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone.
Healthy weight in pounds by height
The weight range in pounds that gives a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 at each height, and the weight at which BMI reaches 30:
| Height | Healthy weight (BMI 18.5–24.9) | BMI 30 (obesity) from |
|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 10 in | 89 lb – 119 lb | 144 lb |
| 5 ft 0 in | 95 lb – 127 lb | 154 lb |
| 5 ft 2 in | 101 lb – 136 lb | 164 lb |
| 5 ft 4 in | 108 lb – 145 lb | 175 lb |
| 5 ft 6 in | 115 lb – 154 lb | 186 lb |
| 5 ft 8 in | 122 lb – 164 lb | 197 lb |
| 5 ft 10 in | 129 lb – 174 lb | 209 lb |
| 6 ft 0 in | 136 lb – 184 lb | 221 lb |
| 6 ft 2 in | 144 lb – 194 lb | 234 lb |
| 6 ft 4 in | 152 lb – 205 lb | 246 lb |