Many people still believe that an ideal body weight can be determined simply by the number on the scale or by their Body Mass Index (BMI). However, a growing body of research suggests that a person’s overall health is far more complex.
Health experts are increasingly using the concept of “best weight.” The term refers to a body weight that a person can maintain while consistently following a healthy lifestyle, rather than striving for a specific number on the scale.
BMI Is Still Useful, But It’s Not the Only Measure
For decades, Body Mass Index (BMI) has been used as a simple tool to estimate whether a person’s weight falls within a healthy range.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), BMI categories are as follows:
- Below 18.5: Underweight
- 18.5–24.9: Normal weight
- 25–29.9: Overweight
- 30 or above: Obesity
BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight (in kilograms) by the square of their height (in meters).
However, BMI has several limitations because it cannot distinguish between muscle mass, body fat, or fat distribution throughout the body.
Research Shows a Normal BMI Does Not Always Mean Good Health
Several studies have found that BMI does not always provide a complete picture of a person’s health.
One such study, published in the International Journal of Obesity in 2016, was conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), who analyzed data from more than 40,000 participants.
The findings showed that:
- Nearly 50 percent of people classified as overweight had healthy metabolic indicators.
- About 29 percent of people with obesity were also considered metabolically healthy based on blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.
- Conversely, more than 30 percent of people with a normal BMI actually had metabolic disorders.
These findings suggest that health is determined by more than body weight alone.
Disease Risk Still Needs to Be Considered
On the other hand, another study published in the European Heart Journal in 2018, involving nearly 300,000 participants, found that the risk of heart disease, stroke, and hypertension increased as BMI rose above the 22–23 range.
Meanwhile, a large-scale analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2013, involving approximately 2.88 million people, found that severe obesity remained associated with a higher risk of death.
However, in certain circumstances, individuals classified as overweight actually had a lower overall mortality risk than those with a normal BMI.
These findings indicate that the relationship between body weight and health is not simply black and white.
What Is “Best Weight”?
Today, more physicians and registered dietitians are adopting the concept of best weight.
The concept emphasizes that an ideal body weight is one that can be maintained over the long term through a healthy lifestyle, rather than achieved through extreme dieting.
Characteristics of a “Best Weight”
A person is considered to have reached their best weight when they:
- Can carry out daily activities without becoming easily fatigued.
- Have well-controlled blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.
- Enjoy good-quality sleep.
- Exercise regularly.
- Follow a balanced diet.
- Maintain a relatively stable body weight over the long term.
In other words, the primary goal is not to reach a specific number on the scale, but to keep the body functioning optimally.
How to Determine Your Best Weight
Experts recommend evaluating a variety of health indicators, including:
- Waist circumference
- Body fat composition
- Blood pressure
- Blood sugar levels
- Cholesterol levels
- Physical fitness
- Daily activity levels
Consulting a physician or registered dietitian can also help determine a realistic target weight based on an individual’s specific health condition.
Rather than becoming fixated on the number displayed on the scale, experts now encourage people to build healthy lifestyle habits that can be maintained consistently.
By doing so, body weight is more likely to adjust naturally to the body’s needs and become easier to maintain over the long term.***
