What is a healthy weight for a young man?
Ask the doctor
Q. What is a good weight for a 20-year-old man who is 6 feet tall?
A. There is no perfect weight. That being said, you do want to maintain a healthy weight and also a normal waist size.
A normal body mass index (BMI) is 18.5 to 24.9. Body mass index is calculated using height and weight.
Here is the formula: BMI = Weight (in pounds) / [height (in inches)]2x 703
According to the formula, a normal weight for you would be between 137 and 183 pounds. For someone 6 feet tall, 137 pounds may be healthy, but most 20-year-old men at that weight would think they are way too thin.
Just as important, and perhaps more important than BMI, is waist size. The reason: a larger waist size suggests a greater amount of belly fat. Doctors call it visceral fat. Greater amounts of belly fat increase your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
There is also no perfect waist size. A good waist size for a man your age and height is 36 inches or less.
But don't fixate on the numbers. Instead, focus on a diet loaded with fruits and vegetables and whole-grain carbs. And try to stay physically active, with dedicated exercise time of at least 30 minutes every day when possible.
Image: © Mike Powell/Getty Images
About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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