For most healthy adult women, the WHO/CDC BMI 18.5–24.9 range applies from age 20 through the mid-60s. After that, a slightly higher range is protective.
Use BMI 18.5–24.9. For a 5'5" woman that's roughly 111–150 lbs.
Frame size and muscle mass matter more than age. A lean, muscular 45-year-old and a lean, muscular 25-year-old land in the same range.
Multiple large studies show BMI up to ~27 is protective against illness, falls, and recovery from surgery in older adults.
Losing weight after 65 without resistance training tends to cost muscle, not fat — which is the opposite of what most people want.
Get your age-adjusted range.
Ideal Weight for Women →
BMI can label muscular athletes as overweight or obese. Here's when BMI misses the mark and what to use instead.
The clearest waist guideline for women, based on the NHS and Ashwell Waist-to-Height ratio — no charts, just one rule.
How age changes your healthy weight range, and the simple WHO/CDC formula that answers "how much should I weigh?".