Normal body weight and obesity. Normal weight for a woman

If you are puzzled by the beauty of your figure, then you probably know that there is such a thing as the normal weight of a person by year-age, the table will help you quickly find the result that suits you directly.

It turns out that your ideal weight is not so easy to calculate. The thing is, there are a lot of factors to consider. Starting with heredity and ending with body type.

It is because of this that the figures of people of absolutely identical weight and height can look so different. For example, someone with a weight of 50 kg looks like a sleeper, but it doesn’t hurt someone like losing a couple of kilograms. How right?

What about heredity

As sad as it sounds, scientists have proven that genes play a role in weight loss. So, having full parents, it is very difficult to be slender, like a cypress. But this does not mean at all that a person will necessarily be fat, just keeping fit or losing weight will be more difficult than for children of thin parents.


Does age matter

There was a time when the ideal weight was calculated according to the formula proposed by Brock. It was proposed to subtract 100 from your height (in cm) and consider the result as a standard. However, over time, studies have shown that this formula is only correct for people staying at the age of 40-50 years.

Staying between the ages of 20 and 40, from the figure calculated by the Brock formula, you need to subtract 10-12%. People over fifty are allowed to add 5 to 7%.

Why is age important? Everything has to do with human physiology. For example, in order to calculate whether a child is developing normally before the age of two, not only weight, height, but also head circumference are taken into account. When a person has reached the age of two and right up to the age of twenty, it is important how proportionally the growth and weight indicators increase.

Between the ages of 20-40 metabolic processes in people are quite active, of course, if there are no diseases. Although the metabolism gradually begins to decline. After forty years it becomes even more noticeable. In addition, the physical activity of the bulk of the people is also reduced. That is why the normal weight of a person by year, age, is not one table.

Advice! If there is no trust in the numbers in the table, you can calculate your ideal weight using the formula: 50 + 0.75 (height in cm-150) + (age-20): 4. The weight obtained by this formula is not so ideal. This is the maximum allowable weight allowed in a particular age category.

Body type

For your information! To understand what physique yours belongs to, you need to grab the wrist of your working hand in the thinnest place with your thumb and middle fingers. Asthenics will succeed very easily, normalists will have to try, nothing will come of hypersthenics.

There are even numbers in centimeters by which you can understand the type of physique. The girth of the wrist in asthenics is below 17 cm, normosthenics - 17-18.5 cm, hypersthenics - above 18.5 cm, although even without numbers you can understand the type of body build.

Normostenics have a fairly proportional figure. In asthenics, thin long limbs are also called thin-boned. They will say about hypersthenics that he has a wide bone. People of this type of addition are most inclined to be overweight. They usually have a wide chest and voluminous hips.

To get reliable numbers, calculating your ideal weight, asthenics need to subtract 10% from the resulting number, and add the same percentage to hypersthenics.

BMI

As mentioned above, having the same weight, you can have different figures. Therefore, to understand whether you need to lose weight or vice versa - get better, use an indicator such as BMI. This abbreviation stands for body mass index. This indicator is also called the Quetelet index.

This indicator is used by physicians to understand whether a person is threatened with diseases of the cardiovascular system or diabetes mellitus.

To calculate BMI, you need to divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. If the resulting index is below 18.5, you may even need to gain weight. But the risk of chronic diseases is reduced. The ideal BMI is 18.5-24.9. Obesity is about to begin if the calculations lead to a result between 25 and 29.9. It is urgent to take up weight loss if the BMI exceeds 40, since this index indicates obesity of the third degree, which threatens with chronic diseases.

Important! BMI is not calculated for athletes, pregnant and lactating women, persons under 18 years of age and over 65 years of age. bearing a fetus.

Let's take the tape

In this case, we are talking about a centimeter or meter tape, as it is called. At one time, the famous bodybuilder, who became a role model for many people - John McCallum believed that to calculate the ideal shape, the main thing is not kilograms, but centimeters. He proposed to measure the girths of various parts of the body. And you should start by measuring your wrist.

  1. The circumference of the chest should be equal to the circumference of the wrist multiplied by 6.5.
  2. The figure looks harmonious when the hip circumference is 15% larger than the chest circumference.
  3. The ideal waist is 30% smaller than the bust.
  4. The circumference of the leg in the thigh area should be 53% of the circumference of the chest.
  5. The biceps should be 36% of the circumference of the chest, and the forearm - 29%.

These calculations are suitable for people who are actively involved in sports. Again, all parameters do not take into account body type, age and other features. Therefore, they are more suitable for normosthenics, with middle age and average height.

A weight that is different from normal often leads to health problems, and often it is simply not beautiful. And we are talking not only about excess weight, but also about unhealthy thinness. Therefore, the normal weight of a person by years, ages, the table will help you find your golden mean. That is, what weight should you strive for, calculated taking into account the physiological characteristics of a particular age.

Obesity is considered to be overweight, caused by excessive deposition of fat. Normal, or optimal (ideal), body weight is the weight that, according to medical, statistically verified data, taking into account the characteristics of the skeleton and muscles, as well as the nature of work, is most favorable for a person of a certain age and gender.

Body mass index

In adults, ideal weight roughly corresponds to the number of centimeters of height minus 100 (Brock's index); according to the latest ideas, it is necessary to subtract 5-10% from the final result (table 5). This should take into account some factors, such as body structure and age. Recently, it has been widely believed that from the age of 30, active body weight (that is, the mass of muscles, internal organs and bones) begins to decrease, and the weight calculated according to Brock's formula no longer corresponds to the correct ratio of adipose tissue and active body weight. So, a seventy-year-old woman 170 cm tall, weighing 70 kg, certainly does not have an optimal body weight, because at her age muscles, bones and other organs atrophy, their mass decreases, so her weight determines an excessive amount of fat, and therefore she is obese. On the other hand, a boxer or hockey player may be overweight but should not be considered obese, as they do not have excessive body fat and are predominantly active body weight.

The very first body mass index (BMI) was developed by the Belgian scientist Adolphe Quetelet between 1830 and 1850 while working on so-called "social physics". The modern term "body mass index" (BMI), as the ratio of a person's body weight (in kg) to his height (in meters) squared, was mentioned in an article published in July 1972 in the journal of chronic diseases by Ansel Case.

BMI is a simplified measure of body fat content, which is crucial for determining whether a person is obese or not, but is not a direct measure of body fat, especially since age must also be taken into account in this formula. Normal BMI values ​​for men and women over 20 years of age range from 18.5 to 24.9; values ​​below 18.5 indicate underweight, between 25.0 and 29.9 are considered overweight, and values ​​above 30.0 indicate morbid obesity. For children aged 2 to 5 years, according to WHO data from 2006, the normal values ​​for girls are: 15.7-15.3; boys: 16.0-15.2.

Measuring fat content and calculating active body weight can be more accurate than simple weighing. It is absolutely guaranteed to set the amount of subcutaneous fat using a caliper - a device with retractable grips like a sliding key, which measures the thickness of the skin fold in any place. There are other methods, for example, it is used, which mainly captures some gases in fat or some minerals in the active body mass.

In children and young people, body weight should be determined only in relation to height, and not to age, and taking into account the development of the skeleton and muscles (Table 6). A child with a strong skeleton and well-developed muscles (hypersthenic type) will accordingly weigh more than a child of the same age with an average (normosthenic type) or even a small skeleton and underdeveloped muscles (asthenic type).

The normal weight is approximately 3000 g, a child should weigh about 10 kg per year, and 12 kg at 2 years old. From the age of 2, he adds an average of 2 kg per year, during puberty - 5-6 kg or more, especially while growing rapidly (instead of the usual 6 cm - by 10 cm or more annually).

Table of how much a child should weigh from birth to 5 years according to WHO data from 2006
height of children in cm normal weight for boys in kg weight norm for girls in kg
50 3,33 3,35
55 4,55 4,55
60 5,99 5,87
65 7,43 7,24
70 8,58 8,31
75 9,64 9,28
80 10,58 10,23
85 11,67 11,39
90 12,89 12,65
95 14,06 13,89
100 15,36 15,22
105 16,85 16,78
110 18,52 18,6
115 20,38 20,66
120 22,35 22,82

If a child weighs more than the upper limit given in the tables allows, he can already be considered obese. Excess body weight by 15-30% means mild obesity, 30-50% - medium and more than 50% - severe obesity.

Table 5. The optimal weight of an adult in relation to height

Table 6. The optimal weight of children and adolescents in relation to height

Many people in the modern world are trying to maintain an "ideal" figure, to ensure the correct ratio of height and weight. However, the fact is that the concept of an ideal figure is understood by each person in his own way. Thin people try to gain kilograms because of complexes, and those who consider their weight too big try to get rid of it. Due to debilitating diets, people acquire many diseases, and weight is lost inefficiently, and after returning to normal life, kilograms appear again.

The main mistake of these people is that they do not strive to achieve the ideal weight, setting the goal from the position of "I want."

So before adjusting the body, it is recommended to determine the normal weight, this will help the correct ratio of height and weight in adults and children.

For each person, the optimal weight is individual, so you should not chase the achievement of the popular standard 90-60-90, which managed to exhaust many, forcing them to adhere to an inappropriate diet and lifestyle. Rejecting genetics, such a desire for an “ideal” only worsens health. After all, for example, someone who works hard every day will not be able to maintain the figure of a TV presenter, and a person whose parents are short will not be able to achieve a model physique.

Body build types

The type of body composition affects the ideal weight. The main body compositions of men and women can be divided into three groups.

  1. Astenik characterized by narrowed shoulders, long limbs and a fast metabolism. These people are thin-boned, they are called dry and sinewy, they completely lack body fat. Their bones are lighter and narrower, so their weight is small.
  2. Hypersthenic characterized by broad shoulders, short limbs, stocky and short neck. At the same time, the metabolism is slow, they are dense and stocky. Bones of increased severity and this determines more weight than other types.
  3. Normostenics have the most ideal body composition, and their metabolism takes place at an average speed.

Often the body type is easy to identify visually. However, in some cases, you can apply a simple method. Using only the thumb and middle finger, you need to grab the wrist. When it is very simple to do this, the body composition is asthenic, if it is difficult, normosthenic, and if it is impossible, hypersthenic.

For men, ideal weight will always depend on height, bone mass, and chest volume. For most cases, the correct ratio of height and weight is a constant value, and if this indicator increases, then the accumulation of excess weight has begun. If the indicator decreases, this is a sign of internal inflammation processes.

The body mass index is indicative of underweight or obesity. Men between the ages of 25 and 65 can use the Kotelet index, but it will be false for teenagers, the elderly and athletes. The height-weight indicator is the most popular method for calculating. To determine it, you need to divide body weight (kg) by height (m2). And here the ideal ratio of height and weight in men is 19-25.

Using the Kotelet index, you can determine the amount of fat in the body. However, for a visually aesthetic picture, another formula will do. The volume of the waist (the level of the navel) is divided by the volume of the buttocks. An indicator of 0.85 is considered the norm for men.

The physique in women can also be divided into types. Body weight will also depend on the type of physique, age and height. In order to calculate you, you can use the Kotele index.

So for women with a thin-boned type, 325 g per 1 cm of height is enough, for normosthenics - 350 g, and the ideal weight for hypersthenic women is 375 g per 1 cm of height. This index must be multiplied by height - this will be the ideal ratio of height and weight for women.

It is also worth saying that for the fair half, under 160 cm tall, the ideal weight will be 10-15% lower than normal. The impeccable weight of women of short stature up to 20 years is 3-5 kg ​​lower than normal. In this case, the weight calculated according to the Kotelet index is normal.

The weight of a woman will also depend on her age. To determine the normal weight, you can use a special formula:

M \u003d 50 + 0.75 (R - 150) + (V - 20): 4

Here: M is body weight; R - growth; V is age in years.

Height and weight in children

The body of boys continues to grow up to 19-22 years old, girls up to 17-19 years old. Strong growth spurts are observed in different periods of growth. It is known that the growth of girls begins and ends earlier. Growth dynamics is influenced by various factors, among them heredity plays an important role. It is also worth taking into account the physique, lifestyle, nutrition.

The ratio of height and weight in children differs from ideal indicators than in adults. It also takes into account the ratio of body proportions. However, growth spurts are preceded by a strong weight gain, and sometimes, if the growth rate is observed, there is too much weight. There is no danger here, after a certain period of time the situation will normalize. There are cases when the weight lags behind, and teenagers are unnecessarily thin. However, in the absence of pathologies in the body, you should not worry, the weight will soon become normal.

It should be noted that the weight depends on the mass of the bones. In the presence of a "heavy bone", the child's weight will exceed the norm, however, visual evidence of excess weight will not be noticeable.

You need to measure height in the morning. At this time, the body is most “stretched”.

The World Health Organization has compiled a table that shows the data on the norms of weight and height for adolescents. Here, in addition to the average, you can see other fields in which your data is given. From this it follows that in addition to "pathology" and "normal" there are many other options.

When, during a comparison of height and weight, a teenager is in the column “below average” or “above average”, then fluctuations are permissible and the norm is not violated. "High" and "low" indicators indicate a lead or a lag, but they can change over a certain period of time. In case of insufficient or very high growth - weight, you should consult a doctor.

Dr. Komarovsky on the question of what should be the height and weight of the child:

Table of the correct ratio of height and weight

Table of height and weight for women and men, depending on the addition

Table of the ratio of height and weight depending on age


Who doesn't want to look good and feel slim? But it is not always clear how to calculate the ideal weight, what figure to strive for and whether it is necessary at all.

There are girls who are sincerely sure that they need to lose weight, but in fact, the opposite is true for them - they need to get better. There are women who believe that everything is in order and a few extra pounds have no effect. Although medical statistics say otherwise.

In order to more objectively assess your weight, there are formulas for calculating excess weight. They are also not perfect, they have a number of drawbacks. But they allow you to reconsider your view on the issue of excess weight. You will find the most famous formulas for calculating ideal weight in this article.

Determination of ideal body weight

The ways we talk about are different from each other. And to some extent reflect the evolution of methods for calculating the ideal body weight. From the authoritarian method of Lorenz, which is suitable only for young girls. Before Broca's formula, taking into account body type and calculation formulas for age and height.
If you are curious, read the article with a pencil and paper in hand. But do not be strict about the resulting numbers. Not a single formula can describe the individuality, way of life, state of health and feelings in one or another weight of a particular woman.

First way. Lorentz method

The advantage of the Lorentz method: calculates the weight rate for those girls who are always 18. But seriously, this is one of the toughest methods that you should not be guided by.

The disadvantage of this method it is believed that it only works for girls, but not for guys. Also, you can not use it if a woman is taller than 175 cm.

According to this method, the ideal body weight for girls should be calculated as follows:

  1. Measure your height in centimeters.
  2. Subtract 100 from it.
  3. The second action will be subtracting from the height of 150 centimeters.
  4. Determine the difference between the first and second results.
  5. The resulting units are divided in two.

This is how the formula for estimating body weight in a female looks like: (P - 100) - (P - 150) / 2.

For example: the girl has a height of 170 cm, we calculate: (170 - 100) - (170 - 150) / 2 \u003d 70 - 20/2 \u003d 60 kg.

The second way. Quetelet index

The advantage of the Quetelet index is versatility - it is suitable for both women and men.

The disadvantage of the formula is the inability to apply it to adolescents and the elderly. Also, you should not count on the objectivity of the method with very low or very high male and female growth. The method is valid for representatives of the stronger sex 1.68-1.88 meters, and the weak - 1.54-1.74 meters. He “lies” to pregnant, lactating mothers, athletes.

Important! The calculation of the correct weight norm begins with the calculation of BMI (body mass index).

Often, BMI is used by doctors to determine if there is obesity or dystrophy.

How to determine how many kilograms of overweight a girl has? Using the Quetelet formula, BMI is calculated:

  1. Find out the mass of a person's body in kilograms using scales.
  2. Measure height in meters.
  3. The first indicator is divided by the square of the second.
  4. They calculate and find their BMI in the table.
  5. Know the result.

The method is accompanied by a table in which BMI is calculated by age:

Body mass index Human weight parameters
18 to 25 years old 26 to 46 years old
> 17,5 > 18,0 State of anorexia
Up to 19.5 up to 20 Small deficit
up to 23 up to 26 Norm
up to 27 up to 28 Pre-obesity state
up to 30 up to 31 1 degree of obesity
Up to 35 Up to 36 2 degree of obesity
up to 40 up to 41 3 degree of obesity
40 and more 41 and more 4 degree of obesity

For example: A 24-year-old girl has a height parameter of 1.59 m and weighs 61 kg. When calculating the weight norm for a woman, it turns out: 61 kg / (1.59) 2 = 24.1 (BMI). It turns out that there is a slight excess weight. If the girl were 2 years older, then her parameters corresponded to her age.

The third way. Brock's formula

Advantage: the technique of how to correctly determine the excess weight of a person according to Brock is suitable for people whose height is in the range of 155-200 cm.

Flaw: age is not taken into account.

Important! To find out the constitution of the body, you need to find the thinnest place on the wrist, and determine its circumference.

The measurement results are found in the table:

  1. The number 110 is subtracted from the height in centimeters if the person is under 40 years old.
  2. The older the man or woman, the more he (she) will weigh. After the age of forty a person, his parameter is calculated as follows: the number 100 is subtracted from height.
  3. Also, a correction in the calculations is made for asthenic and hypersthenic types. In the first case, 10% is subtracted from the result, and in the second, the same percentages are added.

Example: you can determine the weight norm for a woman of thirty years as follows - 110 units are subtracted from her height of 167 cm. It turns out that her weight should be 57 kg. If she has an asthenic body type, the final result is: 57 - 5.7 = 51.3 kilograms, and if hypersthenic - then 57 + 5.7 = 62.7 kilograms.

Fourth way. Nagler's method

The advantage of the Nagler method The fact is that if you have data on growth, you can calculate the ideal number of kilograms for a girl.

Flaw: this formula is only valid for females. It does not take into account age and body type.

  1. For 152.4 cm of female height, take 45 kg.
  2. Then, for each new inch (5.54 cm), another 0.9 kg is taken away.
  3. At the end of the calculation, an additional 10% of the found weight indicator is added.

Example: the fair sex has a height of 170 cm. To calculate, we subtract 152.4 from 170 cm. This is equal to 17.6. We divide this value by the size of an inch - 2.54 cm. We get 6.93, and multiply by 0.9 kg. As a result, we have 6.24 additional kilograms. 45 kg + 6.24 = 51.24 kg. Add 10% of the resulting weight 51.24 + 5.124. The result - it should weigh approximately 56.364 kilograms.

Fifth way. Women's formula based on age and height

Advantage: this method takes into account the age-related changes of the fair sex.

disadvantage is that the method is only suitable for women. It does not reflect their body type in any way.

The norm of weight in most women gradually increases with age. This is due to the slowdown of metabolic processes in their body, and is a natural phenomenon.

This formula answers the question of how to determine the correct kilogram rate in a woman, taking into account age:
50 + 0.75 (Height - 150) + (Age - 20) / 4

Example: a woman is 42 years old, and her height is 168 cm. Find the ideal body weight:
50 + 0.75 (168 - 150) + (42 - 20) / 4 = 69 kilograms.

But we must not forget that we are all individual, and the ideal number of kilograms may differ from the calculated one - the main thing is that the person is comfortable.

In addition, the numbers on the scales often do not describe the state of the body and well-being, the ratio of fat and muscle tissue. Namely, they give beautiful curves and smartness.

What is your favorite way to calculate your ideal weight?

There is hardly a person who would not care about his appearance. Each of us wants to look attractive - to have ideal body proportions, maybe even become a new standard of beauty. But, as you know, we are all different - in height, age, configuration.

In many ways, a person’s self-awareness is affected by his weight. Accordingly, the higher it is, the more uncomfortable we feel. It is unlikely that there is a person who refuses to calculate the ideal weight for him. As mentioned earlier, we are all different, which means that body weight will be individual.

Ways to calculate ideal weight

We are not alike, and each has its own beauty. And in the pursuit of an ideal figure, it would not hurt to know the exact weight that you need to strive for. So it will be easier to control the path traveled and the remaining path to your standard.

When calculating your ideal weight, remember that you should first of all feel comfortable with these kilograms. Because someone is crazy about protruding collarbones, while others, on the contrary, prefer curvaceous forms.

Despite all individual preferences, doctors have set a peculiar framework for determining the shortage or excess of kilograms. To date, a great many online calculators and various tables have been developed and compiled. Many experts are studying the question of how to calculate weight by height and age, gender. But they did not come to a consensus.

The most famous calculation methods:

  • By Quetelet
  • By Brock.
  • According to Egorov-Levitsky.
  • According to Lorenz.

You can independently calculate weight by height and age using any of the methods. And having learned the treasured figure, it will be possible to begin the path to your standard.

Calculation of BMI by Adolf Quetelet

It is worth immediately warning that this method will not calculate the ideal weight. According to Quetelet, based on your current weight and height, you need to calculate After, focusing on the result and the developed table, get information about the need to gain weight or lose weight.

Egorov-Levitsky table

When compiling, the developers took into account all the most important factors that form weight. They indicated only the maximum limit, but did not specify the minimum. And, in fact, it is not necessary. After all, a person is mainly concerned about excess kilograms, and not their lack.

How to achieve your ideal weight

If, after you have calculated the weight by age, height and gender, you find that there are a couple of extra pounds, then it's time to think about eliminating them.

Trying to maintain an ideal body weight, you are doing a huge service to your body. In many developed countries, overweight people make up fifty percent of the total population. And every year their number increases exponentially. This is an additional, unnecessary burden on the human body. It affects the joints and internal organs to a greater extent. But, nevertheless, it is worth noting that thinness also does not benefit. The golden mean in the matter of weight is what any person needs.

Once you've made the decision to lose weight, don't try to find a miracle-working fast diet. Such does not exist. It will not bring benefits, but it is quite capable of weakening the body. It is best to lose weight gradually. After all, in fact, getting rid of excess weight is not difficult, difficulties appear when trying to maintain it.

A weight loss method is considered safe, in which you lose from five hundred grams to one kilogram per week. If the weight goes off faster, then you burn not only fat, but also muscle fibers. And this is absolutely unacceptable. Since with well-developed muscles it is easier to maintain optimal weight.

Steps to ideal weight:

  • Drink a glass of clean drinking water on an empty stomach, and fifteen minutes before the start of any meal.
  • Don't skip breakfast. And no, you shouldn't skip any meal. After all, this way you will get hungry and eat even more next time. And, as you know, it is better to eat many times, but a little bit.
  • Try to reduce your fat intake.
  • Come to the store with a prepared shopping list. So you will not be tempted to grab something unnecessary and harmful.
  • Chew food thoroughly. Thus, you not only do not choke, but also get enough faster. When eating slowly, the feeling of hunger disappears more quickly.
  • If you feel like you haven't eaten enough and need a refill, then the first thing you need to do is take your time. Sit for five minutes. And then think about whether the feeling of hunger is really so strong.
  • Eat strictly in the kitchen. Never eat while standing or walking.
  • Add a fresh fruit or vegetable to every meal.
  • Avoid white bread.
  • Simmer and bake. Try not to fry your food.
  • Allow yourself sweetness no more than once a week.
  • Give up fast food.
  • The optimal number of meals per day is five.
  • Cook your own meals more often. So you will control how it is processed and calories.