What's my BMI? Is 220 pounds overweight for an adult human?
Is 220 lbs overweight for the average man or woman?
According to the CDC, BMI is a good indicator of weight, for most people. For an average male at 5 feet 9, 220 pounds is a BMI of 32.5, which is considered obese. For the average female, at 5 feet 3, 220 pounds is a BMI of 39, which is considered obese. Of course, this will be different at different heights, so make sure you calculate the BMI for your specific weight, by using our calculator below. Another important thing to keep in mind is that even though at a certain height 220 lbs might be considered overweight or healthy, body composition and body fat percentage also factor in to whether or not this weight is a healthy weight for you.
220 lbs can look remarkably different depending on height and body type
Unfortunately it's quite not as simple as 220 lbs being overweight, underweight or obese, it's actually more important to compare the weight with your height. In order to reach the healthy BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9 BMI you would need to be in the height range of 6'7 to 7'7.
As BMI does not take gender into account, the range is the same for both males and females. Again, BMI is only useful as a guide, is not perfect and does not have any way to take into account the amount of muscle you have, or your body fat percentage.
So in summary, it seems that 220 lbs is considered obese for the average man, and obese for the average women.
It's important to understand that BMI is not perfect
BMI is not a perfect way of measuring body fatness, but it does a pretty good job for most people. Athletes, or particularly muscular people will find that BMI is not specific enough to meet their needs, and it's probably worth looking into something like body fat percentage. BMI just gives us an easy way to quickly understand the ratio between someones height and someones weight, it does not take into account how much fat you are carrying versus muscle.
Try our BMI Calculator to learn everything about your BMI
Know your BMI? Go straight there.
Height and Weight BMI Health Chart for 220 Pounds (lbs)
Check out this table below to visually understand what heights are considered underweight, healthy, overweight and obese at 220 lbs.
Height | Weight Level |
---|---|
4'9" | Obese |
4'10" | Obese |
4'11" | Obese |
5'0" | Obese |
5'1" | Obese |
5'2" | Obese |
5'3" | Obese |
5'4" | Obese |
5'5" | Obese |
5'6" | Obese |
5'7" | Obese |
5'8" | Obese |
5'9" | Obese |
5'10" | Obese |
5'11" | Obese |
6'0" | Overweight |
6'1" | Overweight |
6'2" | Overweight |
6'3" | Overweight |
6'4" | Overweight |
6'5" | Overweight |
6'6" | Overweight |
6'7" | Healthy weight |
6'8" | Healthy weight |
6'9" | Healthy weight |
6'10" | Healthy weight |
6'11" | Healthy weight |
7'0" | Healthy weight |
Here are some examples of what 220 lbs looks like
![A before and after photo of a 6'7" male showing a weight reduction from 317 pounds to 219 pounds. A total loss of 98 pounds. A before and after photo of a 6'7" male showing a weight reduction from 317 pounds to 219 pounds. A total loss of 98 pounds.](https://myprogresspics.com/storage/images/dycgvoxjsiu81_optimized_1x.jpg)
98 Lbs Weight Loss Journey M/32/6'7'', Achieving the Normal Weight Bracket in 21 Months
![A photo of a 5'9" man showing a weight cut from 218 pounds to 154 pounds. A total loss of 64 pounds. A photo of a 5'9" man showing a weight cut from 218 pounds to 154 pounds. A total loss of 64 pounds.](https://myprogresspics.com/storage/images/wxonmzhv9pn71_optimized_1x.jpg)
One User's Weight Loss Journey: Lessons Learned
![A before and after photo of a 5'3" female showing a weight reduction from 258 pounds to 220 pounds. A net loss of 38 pounds. A before and after photo of a 5'3" female showing a weight reduction from 258 pounds to 220 pounds. A net loss of 38 pounds.](https://myprogresspics.com/storage/images/if9Opv8_optimized_1x.jpg)
Winter Blues Put a Damper on M/25/5'3" Weight Loss Journey From 258Lbs > 220Lbs, but Progress Remains
![A photo of a 5'11" man showing a fat loss from 255 pounds to 218 pounds. A net loss of 37 pounds. A photo of a 5'11" man showing a fat loss from 255 pounds to 218 pounds. A net loss of 37 pounds.](https://myprogresspics.com/storage/images/e9SzjnA_optimized_1x.jpg)
Weight Loss Progress: M/21/5'11 Lost 37Lbs in 3 Months