A person’s weight and height is used to find the body Mass Index (BMI). For most adults between 18 and 64, a BMI of 25 or higher is overweight. This does not include pregnant or breastfeeding women or very muscular adults.
Another measure of healthy weight is waist size. Too much fat around the waist (apple shape) is linked to health problems such as heart disease and high blood pressure.
Waist size goals are based on sex and on ethnic background. These are the healthy waist size guidelines for people who have Chinese, South Asian, South and Central American ethnic backgrounds:
| Sex | Waist size |
|---|---|
| Male | Less than 35 inches (90 cm) |
| Female | Less than 32 inches (80 cm) |
These are the healthy waist size guidelines for people
of all other ethnic backgrounds
| Sex | Waist size |
|---|---|
| Male | Less than 40 inches (102 cm) |
| Female | Less than 35 inches (88 cm) |
