If you ask someone today what a “healthy weight” looks like, you’ll probably get a very different answer than you would have ten years ago. Doctors, researchers, and everyday people are all rethinking how weight connects to health — and whether a single number on a scale can really tell the whole story.
So, what is a healthy weight? And why has our understanding of it changed so much over the last decade?
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What is a healthy weight?
Traditionally, a healthy weight has been defined as a range associated with lower risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. For years, the go-to tool for determining this has been Body Mass Index (BMI) — a calculation based on height and weight. Yet, as National Geographic explains, BMI was never designed to be a diagnostic tool for individuals — although often treated as one.
BMI categories are still widely used by doctors and public health agencies, but they’ve also come under growing criticism. BMI doesn’t distinguish between muscle and fat, doesn’t account for where fat is stored in the body, and doesn’t reflect differences in age, sex, or ethnicity. That means an athlete with lots of muscle might be labeled “overweight,” while someone with a “normal” BMI could still have unhealthy levels of body fat.
How healthy weight is determined today
Over the last decade, health professionals have increasingly emphasized that healthy weight is about more than weight alone. Many doctors now look at a broader picture, including:
- Waist circumference or waist-to-height ratio, which better reflect harmful abdominal fat
- Fat distribution in the body, particularly where fat is stored (such as abdominal versus peripheral fat), since where weight is carried can affect health risks more than total weight alone
- Body fat percentage, which separates fat from muscle
- Metabolic health markers, such as blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure
- Lifestyle factors, including diet quality, physical activity, sleep, and stress
- Ethnicity and genetic background, since research shows that health risks linked to weight can appear at different body sizes across ethnic groups
How perceptions of healthy weight have changed
1. “Normal” has shifted upward
As average body weights have increased, so has what people consider “normal.” Research shows that many individuals who medically fall into the overweight range no longer perceive themselves that way — especially if most people around them have similar body sizes.
A study found that Americans today are less likely to recognize overweight status than they were in previous decades, suggesting that social norms around body size have shifted. This normalization can reduce stigma, but it can also make it harder for people to recognize health risks early.
2. Body positivity and health at every Size
The last decade has also seen the rise of body positivity and Health at Every Size (HAES) movement, which challenge the idea that thinness equals health. These movements emphasize respectful care, mental well-being, and healthy behaviors regardless of body size.
Many experts support these ideas, especially as research shows that weight stigma itself can worsen health outcomes by increasing stress and discouraging medical care. At the same time, public health professionals continue to grapple with how to address rising obesity rates without reinforcing shame or oversimplifying health.
3. Rethinking obesity definitions
In recent years, scientists have proposed redefining obesity using more nuanced criteria, such as body fat levels and metabolic health rather than BMI alone. Some studies suggest that relying solely on BMI may underestimate health risks for some people — and overestimate them for others. Newer definitions could dramatically change who is classified as obese, underscoring how much definitions shape public understanding.
Why this shift matters
Over the last decade, the discussion around healthy weight has expanded beyond the scale to include the full picture of physical and overall well-being. How we define healthy weight affects everything from healthcare access to personal self-image. Over-reliance on BMI can miss early warning signs of disease, while overly narrow body ideals can harm mental health. The growing consensus is that health is complex, individualized, and not fully captured by a single number.