Ideal Weight Range for Adults

Introduction to Healthy Weight

For a 5-foot female, the ideal weight range is approximately 97-123 pounds, corresponding to a healthy BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg/m², as recommended by the European Society of Cardiology 1, 2, 3
The American Cancer Society suggests that maintaining weight within the healthy BMI range reduces risk of multiple cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and overall mortality 4, 5

The World Health Organization classifies underweight as less than 97 pounds (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²), normal/healthy weight as 97-123 pounds (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m²), overweight as 124-148 pounds (BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m²), and obese as 149 pounds or greater (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) 1, 2, 5, 6
Obesity significantly increases cancer risk for breast, colon, endometrium, esophageal adenocarcinoma, kidney, pancreas, gallbladder, thyroid, ovary, and cervix, as well as multiple myeloma and aggressive prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society 5

The American Heart Association notes that BMI has limitations and does not directly measure body fat or account for individual differences in body composition, muscle mass, or fat distribution 6
The European Society of Cardiology recommends measuring waist circumference alongside BMI for more complete risk assessment, with waist circumference greater than 35 inches indicating increased cardiovascular risk in women 7, 6

For Asian populations, the World Health Organization defines overweight as BMI ≥ 23 kg/m² and obesity as BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² due to higher body fat percentages and visceral adiposity at lower BMI values 6

The American College of Cardiology suggests that even modest weight loss of 5-10% can produce meaningful health improvements for those above the healthy weight range, even if ideal body weight is not achieved 8
The American Cancer Society recommends weight management through balancing energy intake with physical activity, with a reduction of 500 calories per day as a common initial goal for weight loss, and up to 60-90 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day to sustain weight loss for previously overweight individuals 5