BMI for 170 cm and 120 kg
A person 170 cm (5'7") tall weighing 120 kg (265 lbs) has a BMI of 41.5 — classified as Obese. The healthy weight range for this height is 53.5–72.0 kg.
Your BMI score
Quick health screening — not a diagnosis
Your BMI falls within class III obesity, with very high long-term health risk.
What this means
BMI is a quick screening number based only on height and weight. It doesn't distinguish muscle from fat, and shouldn't replace a clinical assessment.
- 18.5–24.9 generally lowest health risk
- 25–29.9 elevated metabolic risk
- 30+ higher long-term risk
BMI range
WHO adult classification
- Severe thinness< 16
- Underweight16 – 18.5
- Normal18.5 – 24.9
- Overweight25 – 29.9
- Obese I30 – 34.9
- Obese II35 – 39.9
- YouObese III≥ 40
What does this BMI mean?
Obesity class III · BMI 41.5 · Obese
41.5 is classified as class-III obesity. For 170 cm, this is the most clinically significant BMI tier and is usually addressed with structured medical support.
Sustained BMI in the obese range is linked with higher risk for several chronic conditions — type-2 diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, joint stress. The good news is that even modest, sustained weight loss (5–10%) tends to produce outsized health benefits.
Treat this as a starting point, not a verdict. BMI ignores muscle mass, body shape, and individual context — it's a quick number for a population, not a personal health score.
For someone 170 cm tall, weights between 53.5 kg and 72.0 kg fall in the BMI 18.5–24.9 healthy range — roughly 118–159 lbs.
How far from the healthy range?
Target BMI milestones
Weights that would land at common BMI thresholds for 170 cm.
| Milestone | Target weight | vs current |
|---|---|---|
| BMI 40 (class III threshold) | 115.6 kg(255 lbs) | Lose ~4.4 kg |
| BMI 35 (class II threshold) | 101.1 kg(223 lbs) | Lose ~18.9 kg |
| BMI 30 (obesity threshold) | 86.7 kg(191 lbs) | Lose ~33.3 kg |
| BMI 25 (healthy range) | 72.3 kg(159 lbs) | Lose ~47.8 kg |
Why BMI isn't the whole story
- Muscle vs fat: BMI treats a kilogram of muscle the same as a kilogram of fat. Strength athletes and very muscular builds can land in the overweight band while having low body fat.
- Body shape matters: Two people at the same BMI can carry weight very differently. Waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio capture risk that BMI misses.
- Age, sex, ethnicity: The 18.5–24.9 window is a single global average. Cutoffs adjusted for ethnicity and age can shift the interpretation, especially at the edges of the band.
- Still useful: BMI remains widely used because it's cheap, fast, and roughly predictive at population scale. Treat it as a self-check signal, not a diagnosis.
Nearby BMI combinations
Related
Common questions
Last updated: 2026