EATING RIGHT
The Dietary Guideline Way
United States Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition
Information Service Agriculture Information Bulletin 364
This publication is part of "Eating Right...The Dietary
Guidelines Way," USDA's ongoing nutrition education program
to help consumers put the Dietary Guidelines into practice.
Maintain Desirable Weight...is one of seven Dietary
Guidelines recommended by the U.S. Departments of
Agriculture and of Health and Human Services. Choosing a
good diet is a balancing act. The goal is to eat a variety
of foods that supply the nutrients and fiber you need, but
not too many calories or too much fat, cholesterol, sugar,
sodium, or alcohol. This bulletin is about calories and your
weight. Excess weight or obesity is harmful to your health
and may shorten your life. It is associated with high blood
pressure, heart disease, the most common type of diabetes,
certain cancers, and many other types of ill health.
Weight...Is Yours "Right" for You?
Weight range charts can help you decide whether you have a
weight problem, but they don't tell the whole story. Some
people weigh more than the chart shows, but their excess
weight is primarily muscle. Overweight is only a problem if
the excess pounds are fat. Are your excess pounds fat?
Looking in the mirror or pinching a fold of skin at the back
of your upper arm are quick tests. If you can pinch more
than an inch, your excess weight probably comes from fat.
Desirable Body Weight Ranges for Adults
Height Weight
Men Women
(pounds) (pounds)
4'10"..................................... 92-121
4'11"..................................... 95-124
5'0" ..................................... 98-127
5'1".................. 105-134 .......... 101-130
5'2" ................. 108-137 .......... 104-134
5'3" ................. 111-141 .......... 107-138
5'4" ................. 114-145 .......... 110-142
5'5" ................. 117-149 .......... 114-146
5'6" ................. 121-154 .......... 118-150
5'7" ................. 125-159 .......... 122-154
5'8" ................. 129-163 .......... 126-159
5'9" ................. 133-167 .......... 130-164
5'10" ................ 137-172 ..........
134-169
5'11" ................ 141-177
6'0" ................. 145-182
6'1" ................. 149-187
6'2" ................. 153-192
6'3" ................. 157-197
NOTE: For women
18-25 years of age, subtract 1 pound for each year under
25.
SOURCE: Adapted from the 1959 Metropolitan Desirable
Weight Table.
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