Overweight Calculator — BMI, Healthy Weight Range and Goals
Enter your height and weight to find out if you are underweight, overweight or obese — and see exactly how much you would need to lose or gain to reach the WHO healthy weight range for your height.
Units
kg
cm
Body Mass Index — WHO adults classification
- 1
Height in m
175 cm ÷ 100 = 1.75 - 2
Height squared
1.75² = 3.0625 - 3
BMI
85 ÷ 3.0625 = 27.8
How does this calculator work?
Overweight is BMI ≥ 25 (BMI = kg ÷ m²; healthy range: 18.5–24.9). Target weight at top of healthy range = 24.9 × height(m)². Enter height and weight to see your BMI, weight category, the healthy weight range for your height, and how much to lose or gain to reach it.
Formula
How this is calculated
Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared. The result is compared against WHO adult cut-offs: below 18.5 is underweight, 18.5–24.9 is normal weight, 25.0–29.9 is overweight, and 30 or above is obese. These boundaries are the same for both men and women.
From the healthy range (BMI 18.5–24.9), the calculator works backwards to find the minimum and maximum healthy weights for your height: min = 18.5 × h², max = 24.9 × h². If your weight falls outside those bounds it shows how many kg (or lb) you would need to lose or gain to bring your BMI to the top of the healthy range (24.9 for overweight/obese) or bottom (18.5 for underweight). Imperial inputs are converted using 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg and 1 inch = 0.0254 m.
BMI is a population-level screening tool, not a clinical diagnosis. It cannot distinguish fat from muscle, bone density or fat distribution. It tends to overestimate adiposity in very muscular people and underestimate it in older adults who have lost muscle. Children and adolescents use age- and sex-specific percentile charts rather than these adult cut-offs.
Frequently asked questions
The WHO classifies adults with a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 as overweight, and a BMI of 30 or above as obese. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered a healthy weight. Below 18.5 is underweight.
Multiply your height in metres squared by 24.9 to get the maximum weight in the healthy range. Subtract that from your current weight to find the amount to lose. For example, at 1.75 m: target = 24.9 × 1.75² = 76.2 kg. This calculator does this automatically.
BMI is useful as a screening tool but has well-known limitations. It overstates adiposity risk for athletes and very muscular people, and may understate it in older adults with low muscle mass. It also does not account for waist circumference, which is an independent risk factor. Use it alongside other health assessments, not in isolation.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Overweight Calculator — BMI, Healthy Weight Range and Goals [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/overweight-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Overweight Calculator — BMI, Healthy Weight Range and Goals." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/overweight-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Overweight Calculator — BMI, Healthy Weight Range and Goals," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/overweight-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_overweight_calculator, title = {Overweight Calculator — BMI, Healthy Weight Range and Goals}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/overweight-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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