For someone 5 feet 6 inches tall (167.6 cm), a healthy weight is 52 to 70 kg by the WHO BMI range, or up to 64.4 kg by the Asian range used in India. Ideal body weight averages 64 kg for a man and 60 kg for a woman.
| Weight (kg) | Weight (lb) | BMI | WHO category | Asian category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 kg | 99 lb | 16 | Underweight | Underweight |
| 47.8 kg | 105 lb | 17 | Underweight | Underweight |
| 52 kg | 115 lb | 18.5 | Healthy | Healthy |
| 56.2 kg | 124 lb | 20 | Healthy | Healthy |
| 59 kg | 130 lb | 21 | Healthy | Healthy |
| 61.8 kg | 136 lb | 22 | Healthy | Healthy |
| 64.6 kg | 143 lb | 23 | Healthy | Overweight |
| 67.4 kg | 149 lb | 24 | Healthy | Overweight |
| 70.3 kg | 155 lb | 25 | Overweight | Obese |
| 73.1 kg | 161 lb | 26 | Overweight | Obese |
| 77.3 kg | 170 lb | 27.5 | Overweight | Obese |
| 84.3 kg | 186 lb | 30 | Obese | Obese |
| 91.3 kg | 201 lb | 32.5 | Obese | Obese |
| 98.4 kg | 217 lb | 35 | Obese | Obese |
| 112.4 kg | 248 lb | 40 | Obese | Obese |
At 5 feet 6 inches, overweight starts at 70.3 kg (WHO) or 64.6 kg (Asian cut-off), and obesity at 84.3 kg (WHO) or 70.3 kg (Asian).
| Formula | Man | Woman |
|---|---|---|
| Devine (1974) | 63.8 kg (141 lb) | 59.3 kg (131 lb) |
| Robinson (1983) | 63.4 kg (140 lb) | 59.2 kg (131 lb) |
| Miller (1983) | 64.7 kg (143 lb) | 61.3 kg (135 lb) |
| Hamwi (1964) | 64.2 kg (142 lb) | 58.7 kg (129 lb) |
| Average of the four | 64 kg (141 lb) | 59.6 kg (131 lb) |
Ideal body weight (IBW) formulas were designed for medicine doses, not as a target, and they ignore frame size and muscle. Use them alongside the healthy BMI range.
Keep your waist under half your height: under 84 cm (33 inches) at 5'6". Waist-to-height ratio predicts heart and diabetes risk better than BMI alone, especially for South Asian adults.
| Waist-to-height | Waist at 5'6" | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Under 0.4 | under 67 cm | May be too slim |
| 0.4 – 0.49 | 67–82 cm | Healthy |
| 0.5 – 0.59 | 84–99 cm | Increased risk |
| 0.6 or more | 101 cm or more | High risk |
A healthy weight for a woman 5 feet 6 inches tall is 52–70 kg (BMI 18.5–24.9), or 52–64 kg for Asian women. Ideal body weight formulas give 59–61 kg.
A healthy weight for a man 5 feet 6 inches tall is 52–70 kg (BMI 18.5–24.9), or 52–64 kg for Asian men. Ideal body weight formulas give 63–65 kg.
At 168 cm, aim for 52–70 kg. Above 70 kg is overweight by WHO standards (65 kg by Asian standards).
5 feet 6 inches is 167.6 cm (66 inches × 2.54).