Forty-one-year-old comedian Kevin Hart is 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 141 pounds. But he doesn't seem to be overweight.
That's because a healthy weight depends on age, muscle-fat ratio, height, sex, and body fat distribution.
People who are more athletic and muscled may have a higher body mass index (BMI), but not have excess body fat.
Hart's BMI actually registers as overweight (the normal weight range for his height is 101 to 136 pounds). But his level of body fat is 15.8% (that's good), indicating it's likely he has a healthy distribution of muscle and fat.
How can you figure out the right weight for your optimal health? The best way is to use several measurements to see if they reinforce the others’ findings.
• Figure your BMI at CDC.gov; search for "adult BMI calculator." Or try the Smart BMI Calculator, which considers your gender and age along with weight and height at www.smartbmicalculator.com.
• Determine your waist to hip ratio: Measure your waist at its narrowest part and divide that number by a measurement of your hips at their widest part. Below 0.9 equals low risk of cardiovascular health problems; 0.9 to 0.99 equals moderate risk; 1.0 or more equals high risk. Moderate or high risk may indicate you're overweight.
• Calculate your waist to height ratio. Divide waist size by height in inches. Are you 0.5 or less? Chances are you're a healthy weight.
• Ask your doctor for a body fat assessment using a pinch test. Fit non-athletes come in at 14% to 17% for men and 21% to 24% for women.