Are you under, over, or at the ``ideal'' weight for your height and build?

This is an attempt to do a previous survey ``right.'' One of the first surveys I'm credited with creating is ``What is your current weight?'' I didn't actually create that survey. (I think it was Oscar's.) It was stuck in qualification, and I edited it to add metric measures to it, since the survey creator asked for someone to show him how. I didn't realize that editing the survey would result in my name being listed as the creator, however. Otherwise I would simply have left a note rather than adding things to it myself.

While it was a reasonable survey, it seemed to me that it would be more interesting to ask whether people are over- or underweight than just to ask them what they weigh, since most people I know are more concerned whether their weight is right for them than about the numerical value of their weight. Here's a survey that does just that.

I should give credit where it's due. The numbers above are from a formula given on a web page at about.com. I built it into a table and translated the values to metric units myself.

The URL for that web page is http://weightloss.about.com/health/weightloss/library/howto/htiweight.htm (I'd have made that a link, but the text input box is too agressive about wrapping text to allow me to do so.)

I used to be underweight, but I started eating more and getting proper exercise. I'm happy to say I am "ideal" now.

I'm 76 pounds (34.5 kg) over the highest weight listed for me in the table, so that's what I checked. I'd actually like to lose 10-15 pounds more than that, which would put me at or slightly below the low end of that range.

I've been dieting for a while now, and recently joined Weight Watchers to help with that. I've lost 15-20 pounds so far, but obviously I've got a lot farther to go.

According to the chart, I'm 41-65 pounds overweight. I'm 35 pounds below my heaviest weight, and I'd like to lose another 50 pounds.

55-65 pounds overweight - but I don't think I want to go that low. Losing 40 lbs would be a good number for me.

According to the chart...I still have around 34 pounds to lose. I've lost almost 80, as of three days ago.

About 4.5 kg overweight according to this schedule. But I really should lose 10.

Freaky! I'm dead centre ideal weight! I think I could stand to get off my ass and exercise a bit more though...

According to this chart I'm approximately 30 pounds underweight but that doesn't sound right to me... especially considering I recently gained 10 pounds.

I am within it. But Id like to mention that charts like these are utterly ridiculous. Big frame, small frame or medium frame, extra muscle (which doesnt change the size of your "frame" as determined here), will never cause you to be above your ideal weight. I have a friend is in good physical condition, has a "medium-large" build, is 6 foot, and weighs 235 pounds (accordiong to this about 40 pounds over his "ideal" weight), but that is because he bench presses 275... not because he is "above his ideal weight". The only thing that really matters is Body Fat Percentage, as measured by a DOCTOR, not some idiot at a gym somewhere.

How tall are you? I suspect that the formula I used was designed for people between 5 and 6 feet tall, and may not work very well outside that range. I'm especially dubious about its value for shorter heights.

I'm 5'7".

You're right of course. People with a lot of extra muscle mass will weigh more without being ``overweight.'' Charts like this assume an average muscle tone, which is unrealistic for athletes, bodybuilders and the like. I did say that the chart provided an estimate, not a hard and fast value.

Weird. Do other people think you're thin?

It's possible that the formula used for the chart is lame. It doesn't take sex into account at all, which is unusual. Most methods like this give different numbers for men vs. women.

On the other hand, I have known people who looked like they could stand to put on a few pounds who complained that they were fat, so I know that it's quite possible to be underweight without knowing it.

Well, I've been told by people who struggle with their weight that they wish they were as "thin" as I, but not that I look overly thin, even by those who have seen me naked. The last chart I saw said I was in the ideal range for my height.

However, if I truly am underweight it would be a good thing to know. Do any of you who have seen pics of me think I look underweight or ideal?

I'm on the high side of ideal according to this chart, but given that I'm not in great shape and a lot of the weight is fat, I'd probably say I'm about 10 pounds over.

Given only those choices, I'd have to say: closer to "ideal".

I'm at my ideal weight. I have a medium frame, my height is 5'7, and I way 150lbs. I always thought that I was above my ideal weight too. My mom thinks I am. She thinks I am too fat, but she is anorexic, so I don't know how much her opinion should count.

From the pictures I have seen on the Homepage, you appear to be in the ideal weight range.

I'm surprised that this chart doesn't separate male and female.
I hopelessly fat, fat, fat and it sucks. I few years ago, I dieted (no exercise) and lost 50 pounds (205->155), which put me below the ideal on this chart. I still didn't look so great, still had a flabby stomach. You can't win. Still, I did feel better about myself.
Since then, I've gained most of it back, up to 187 now. I believe the core thing that allowed me to lose weight was will-power. I basically overcame my urge to eat. I remember getting a sick pleasure out of feeling hungry and not doing anything about it.
Like most things, it's a struggle between being myself (chubby) and trying to be a better person (thin). With enough discipline, I'm able to force myself to be better, but if I relax I revert.

Thanks for that explanation Analog

I measure my ideal weight according to the ratio between my waist and my inseam when I buy pants. 1-1 being ideal, I am about two inches overweight (33/31).

Alternately, I used to measure by whether or not I could touch my toes; in that case, I am about ten inches overweight.

That's odd. I always thought that I was fine at 164 lbs. for a 6' medium male frame. Hmm. . . Well, that's something new! I suppose I'd best work out a little more to gain more muscle mass!

I'm 35 pounds under weight :( , but I don't know if that counts because according to my grade eight math book, I will grow 1/2 an inch more in the next year. I have a very small frame. My wrist is the smallest out of the 70 people in my grade!

That was a great survey, the graph is really good! :)

why is thin being a better person?

The advanced stats on this are interesting - 30% of males report that they are at their "ideal" weight according to this chart, but only 7% of females do. So, does that say more about the relative health, willpower, self-image and/or honesty of males vs. females, or about the validity of this chart?

My guess would be that the numbers should be adjusted downward slightly for women as compared to men. I have no good evidence to offer in support of that idea though.

But the point of including the table was just to help people make a ``quick and dirty'' estimate. To get really accurate and meaningful results would require everyone to go out and have a body fat analysis done, which seems a bit extreme just to fill out one of these surveys.

I needed an option for "Moo".

I think it might have something to do with the sample size. Looking at it now, there are 23 males and 14 females. Most of the males are clustered around the central "ideal" weight zone. The females are scattered all over the place. I think that it is quite probable that as the female sample size increases, a similar pattern (as the males) will emerge.

and Lauren: Thank you! That makes me feel better.

because TV says so.
Truthfully, I personally think that I look better and I feel better when I weigh less. I fit into clothes better too. I feel more in control of myself and my destiny. Exercising is easier, moving around feels better.
I think your question is a good one, but I think that there's a valid answer as well.

wow, I don't feel fat anymore!! According to this I should weigh at least 148 lbs. That can't be right...

well, I agree, I think I looked better and felt better a few years ago when I lost some weight, too. I'm not sure I'd say that made me a better person though.

About 20-25 pounds underweight.

A little underweight, but I couldn't decide whether I was small or medium build.

oh, OK. I see the subtle difference. Yes, it's possible, even likely, that I was not a better person in external ways. I remember that once I lost the weight, I began to feel utter disdain for other overweight people. I even recognized how ironic that was, but I still felt it. So, there's some evidence that I was a bit of an ass when I was thinner.

is this for men? or women? can't be for both!

I am tiny. I guess I am about three pounds under weight but I am healthy.

I'm underweight?? I LOVE THIS CHART! PASS THE DOUGHNUTS! OH HAPPY DAY! WHOO HOO!

Everybody needs love, though

According to this, I'm medium.