A healthy weight for a 5’7″ man falls between 121 and 159 pounds, based on the standard BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9. That said, the “right” number depends on your body composition, age, and frame size, so this range is a starting point rather than a final answer.
The Standard Weight Range
The most widely used guideline comes from BMI, which divides your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared, then multiplies by 703. For a man standing 5’7″, the categories break down like this:
- Underweight: 120 lbs or less (BMI below 18.5)
- Healthy weight: 121 to 159 lbs (BMI 18.5 to 24.9)
- Overweight: 160 to 190 lbs (BMI 25 to 29.9)
- Obese: 191 lbs or more (BMI 30+)
These thresholds haven’t changed. The CDC’s most recent obesity reporting, published in early 2026, still uses the same BMI cutoffs that have been in place for decades.
What Clinical Formulas Suggest
Doctors sometimes use a simpler calculation called the Hamwi formula to estimate an “ideal” body weight. For men, it starts at 106 pounds for the first 5 feet of height, then adds 6 pounds for every inch above that. At 5’7″, that gives you 106 + (7 × 6) = 148 pounds. This is meant as a midpoint, not a hard target, and most clinicians apply a 10% range in either direction, putting you at roughly 133 to 163 pounds.
How Frame Size Shifts the Number
Your bone structure genuinely affects what a healthy weight looks like on your body. The Metropolitan Life Insurance tables, based on longevity data, account for this directly. For a 5’7″ man:
- Small frame: 138 to 145 lbs
- Medium frame: 142 to 154 lbs
- Large frame: 149 to 168 lbs
A simple way to estimate your frame size: wrap your thumb and middle finger around your opposite wrist. If they overlap easily, you have a small frame. If they just touch, medium. If there’s a gap, you have a large frame. Someone with broad shoulders and thick wrists can comfortably weigh 15 to 20 pounds more than someone with a narrow build at the same height without carrying excess fat.
Why BMI Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
BMI treats all weight the same, whether it comes from muscle, fat, or bone. A 5’7″ man who weighs 170 pounds and lifts weights regularly could have a BMI of 26.6 (technically “overweight”) while carrying relatively little body fat. Meanwhile, someone at 150 pounds with very little muscle mass could fall in the “healthy” BMI range but still carry a disproportionate amount of fat around the midsection.
This is why waist measurement matters. The NHS recommends keeping your waist circumference below half your height. For a 5’7″ man (67 inches), that means your waist should stay under about 33.5 inches. Abdominal fat is more strongly linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic problems than overall weight alone, so a tape measure around your midsection can be more informative than a bathroom scale.
How Age Changes the Target
If you’re over 65, the ideal range appears to shift upward. A study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, tracking participants in two large Norwegian cohort studies, found that older men in the 25 to 29.9 BMI range (technically “overweight”) had the lowest mortality rates. Every BMI category below 25 was associated with higher death rates in this age group. For a 5’7″ man, that “overweight” range corresponds to 160 to 190 pounds.
Researchers describe this as the BMI-mortality curve shifting to the right with age. Carrying a modest amount of extra weight in later life appears to provide a buffer during illness, surgery, or periods of reduced appetite. This doesn’t mean gaining weight intentionally is beneficial, but it does suggest that older men shouldn’t panic about weighing 165 or 170 if they’re otherwise active and healthy.
Putting the Numbers Together
For a younger or middle-aged 5’7″ man with a medium frame, 140 to 155 pounds is a reasonable sweet spot where most measures converge. If you have a larger build or carry significant muscle, 155 to 168 is perfectly reasonable. The BMI-based upper limit of 159 pounds works as a general guideline, but it’s not a cliff: a man at 165 with a 32-inch waist is in a very different health position than one at 165 with a 38-inch waist.
Rather than fixating on a single number, track your weight alongside your waist circumference. If your waist stays under 33.5 inches and your weight is relatively stable, you’re likely in a healthy range regardless of where you fall on a BMI chart.