If you want to know the average weight for women in the US, the UK, and in the world, then this article will put you in the know.
We know that women are getting heavier on average, so how has this alarming trend affected the ideal female weight?
That’s another question we’ll be exploring in detail after getting straight to the female body mass facts.
Related Articles:
What is the average weight for women in the US?
What is the average weight for women in the US? According to data from a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which weighed over 5,386 women, the average female weight in the US is 170.8 pounds or 77.5 kilograms. [1]
If we take this weight and combine it with the average height for women, we get a highly overweight, borderline obese BMI. As such, it’s abundantly clear that the average American woman is far too heavy to enjoy good health.
Naturally, there are a variety of causes for the sharp increase in the average American female weight.
Factors such as our increasingly sedentary lifestyles, ease of access to high-calorie junk food, and general stress from life and work all inhibit a woman’s ability to achieve a healthy body weight.
What is the average weight for women in the world?
The average weight for women in the world is estimated at just under 137 pounds. [2] But is this really accurate?
It could be. The data is from 2005, during which time the populations of many countries have piled on the pounds, thus increasing the average weight for a woman worldwide.
Yet, because the data measured adult body weight, it’s likely that the average female weight worldwide is actually overestimated a bit because men are typically much heavier than women.
Still, the difference in body mass between North American countries and less developed countries is striking. While some people struggle to get enough food to survive, others are gouging their way to an early grave.
What is considered a healthy weight for women?
There is no one weight or even a body weight range that’s considered a healthy weight for women. Why?
Because you need to factor in your height in order to determine your healthy weight.
This means calculating your BMI, which, ideally, should be in the healthy range, which is between 18.5 and 24.9.
It’s worth nothing, however, that you can have a BMI that’s classed as normal while still being considered abdominally obese if you have excess body fat (BMI doesn’t measure muscle or fat).
As an example, let’s say that you’re 5 foot 4, like the average woman. In this case, you’d want to maintain a weight between roughly 110 lbs and 140 lbs.
Depending on your body fat level and other aspects of your health, a given body weight—even if it’s considered a normal weight for a woman—may still be considered unhealthy.
What is the average weight for girls in America?
The average weight for girls in America varies depending on the girl’s age. Still, the trend is clear; girls get heavier as they grow older.
As an example—which you can observe for yourself on the average female weight chart below—17-year-old girls weigh significantly more than 15-year-old girls.
This section covers the average weight for females aged 10-17. If you want to see the average weight for an adult woman, then check out the next section.
Average weight for a 10 year old female
The average weight for a 10 year old female is 90.6 pounds or 41.1 kilograms. This age is typically a period of rapid growth for girls, as the average 10-year-old female will gain around 15 lbs between the ages of 9 and 10.
Average weight for an 11 year old female
The average weight for an 11 year old female is 106.1 pounds or 48.1 kilograms. Again, the average girl will gain a substantial amount of weight between the ages of 10 and 11, this time approximately 16 lbs.
Average weight for a 12 year old female
The average weight for a 12 year old female is 116.9 pounds or 53 kilograms. This is a 10-pound increase since the age of 11, which demonstrates that most girls are growing rapidly at this time.
Average weight for a 13 year old female
The average weight for a 13 year old female is 125.8 pounds or 57 kilograms. Some girls may be heavier or lighter than this depending on their height, build, and body composition.
Average weight for a 14 year old female
The average weight for a 14 year old female is 137 pounds or 62.2 kilograms. On average, a girl will gain around 11-12 pounds of body mass between the ages of 13 and 14.
Average weight for a 15 year old female
The average weight for a 15 year old female is right around 137.5 pounds or 62.4 kilograms. Many girls have stopped growing taller at this age, which is why weight gain slows down.
Average weight for a 16 year old female
The average weight for a 16 year old female is 144.9 pounds or 65.7 kilograms. Since most girls have stopped growing taller by age 16, the weight increase could be due to increased periods of inactivity and a greater focus on studying and social activities.
Average weight for a 17 year old female
The average weight for a 17 year old female is 149.7 pounds or 67.9 kilograms. Considering that most 17 year old girls are no taller than average, this body weight would be considered overweight.
The average female weight by age
The average female weight by age is a noteworthy dataset for two reasons. One, because it’s considered overweight at every age group, and two, because it increases up until middle age and then decreases.
So how can we explain the weight variation based on age?
We can make a few assumptions. As women get older and assume more responsibilities, they have less time for physical activity, which can often cause them to gain weight. [3]
Then, as a woman ages, she naturally loses muscle mass (hence the weight decreases after middle age) unless she performs some kind of resistance training.
Average weight for an 18 year old female
The average weight for an 18 year old female is 151.6 pounds or 68.8 kilograms, which is considered overweight for most eighteen year old girls.
Average weight for a 19 year old female
The average weight for a 19 year old female is 156.5 pounds or 71 kilograms, which, again, is considered overweight for a woman of a normal height.
Average weight for a 20 year old female
Since the NHANES data that we’ve been using only weighed girls from birth to age 19, there is no specific data on the average weight for a 20 year old female.
Yet, the same research does separate the average weight of women in the US into seven different age groups. So, on average, women aged 20 to 29 weigh 165 pounds or 74.9 kilograms.
Average weight for a 21 year old female
Again, there is no specific body weight data regarding the average weight for a 21 year old female. Still, we know that many 21 year old women weigh around 165 lbs or 75 kg.
Interestingly, research also shows that weight gain after 20 years of age is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome among women. [4]
So even though 165 lbs isn’t morbidly obese for a woman, such a body weight is still likely too high for a woman to enjoy her best health.
Average weight for a 22 year old female
The average weight for a 22 year old female in the US is approximately 75 kg or 165 lbs. Depending on their stature and build, as well as their body composition, some 22 year old women may be much lighter or heavier than this.
Average weight for a 23 year old female
According to the data, the average weight for a 23 year old female is approximately 165 pounds or 74.9 kilograms. Presuming an average height, this body weight would mean that a 23 year old woman is on the higher end of the overweight category.
Average weight for a 24 year old female
Based on US body mass data, the average weight for a 24 year old female in the United States is 165 lbs or 74.9 kilos.
Average weight for a 25 year old female
As noted, past the age of 19, body weight is no longer measured on an age-by-age basis and is instead grouped into broader categories.
The age of twenty five sits right in the middle of the 20-29 age group, so we can estimate that the average weight for a 25 year old female is around 165 lbs or 75 kg.
Average weight for a 30 year old woman
When we look at the average American female weight by age, we can see that the first two age groups are 20-29 and 30-39, meaning that 30 year old women are likely to have a body weight (on average) that lies somewhere between the two averages for these groups.
Based on this, I would estimate that the average weight for a 30 year old woman is around 170 pounds.
Average weight for a 40 year old woman
Based on the average female weight by age, the average weight for a 40 year old woman is 178.1 pounds or 80.8 kilograms, meaning that the 40-49 age group is the heaviest of all.
Average weight for a 50 year old woman
The average weight for a 50 year old woman living in the US is 173.5 pounds or 78.7 kilograms. This means that 50 year old women are slightly heavier than the average woman.
Average weight for a 60 year old woman
Based on the body weight data, the average weight for a 60 year old woman in America is 172.4 pounds or 78.2 kilograms, which slightly exceeds the average female body weight.
Average weight for a 70 year old woman
The average weight for a 70 year old woman is 164.6 pounds or 74.7 kilos, which is a significant body weight decrease since the age of 60.
Average weight for a 80 year old woman
The average weight for an 80 year old woman is 149.7 pounds or 67.9 kilograms, which is around 20 pounds lower than the average weight for a woman in the US.
The average female weight by group and race
Here is the average female weight by race as it is laid out in the above-mentioned US Vital and Health Statistics report.
The average weight of black women
Based on the body weights of 1,226 black females, the average weight of black women in the United States is 188.5 pounds or 85.5 kilograms.
Considering that most black women are around 5 foot 4 or 5 foot 5, this body weight would mean that the average black woman is considered obese.
The average weight of white women
According to US anthropometric data, which weighed 1,747 white women, the average weight of white women in the United States is 170.9 pounds or 77.5 kilograms.
The average weight for white women is roughly equal to the average adult female weight in the US, which is considered overweight.
The average Asian weight for women
The average Asian female weight is 135 pounds or 61.2 kilograms. This is based on body weight data from 711 Asian women living in the US.
As you can see on the average female weight chart above, an Asian woman’s body weight tends to remain fairly stable between the ages of 20 and 60.
The average Hispanic female weight
The average Hispanic female weight, which includes Mexican Americans, is 168 pounds or 76.2 kilograms. This weight is based on a healthy sample size of 1,497 Hispanic women.
The average weight for Mexican American women
The average weight for Mexican American women is 172 pounds or 78 kilograms, a body weight that remains stable between the ages of 20 and 60 for many Mexican-American females.
Average female weight FAQ
This helpful FAQ section will tell you more about the average weight of women and explain how ladies can maintain a healthy body weight in the modern world.
What is the average female weight by height?
There is currently no good data that measures the average female weight by height. After all, it would be extremely complicated to recruit enough women for each specific height in order to get statistically relevant results.
Still, based on the data we do have, we can make a few assumptions.
Since most American women are around 5 foot 4 and overweight, it follows that women above this height are likely to be heavier than the 170.8-pound average female weight, while women below this height are likely to weigh less than the average American female weight.
Now, as far as the ideal female weight by height goes, this is much easier to calculate because your ideal weight is based on your BMI, which takes into account both your height and weight.
You can check out these height-specific articles for more information.
- Average weight for a 4’9 female
- Average weight for a 4’10 female
- Average weight for a 4’11 female
- Average weight for a 5’0 female
- Average weight for a 5’1 female
- Average weight for a 5’2 female
- Average weight for a 5’3 female
- Average weight for a 5’4 female
- Average weight for a 5’5 female
- Average weight for a 5’6 female
- Average weight for a 5’7 female
- Average weight for a 5’8 female
- Average weight for a 5’9 female
- Average weight for a 5’10 female
- Average weight for a 5’11 female
- Average weight for a 6’0 female
- Average weight for a 6’1 female
- Average weight for a 6’2 female
- Average weight for a 6’3 female
- 6’4 average weight
- 6’5 average weight
- 6’6 average weight
- 6’7 average weight
- 6’8 average weight
What is the average weight for women in the UK?
What is the average weight for women in the UK? Based on research by the NHS, the average female weight in the UK is 159 pounds or 72.1 kilograms, which is more than a 5-kilogram increase in 25 years. [5]
While the average weight for UK women (11 stone 5 lbs) is still lower than the average weight for American women, it’s clear that British women are getting heavier as well, a trend that needs to be monitored closely if it is to be reversed.
Is there such a thing as the perfect weight for women?
There is no such thing as a perfect weight for women because physical health and body satisfaction are not measured by the numbers on the scale.
Still, most health professionals agree that it’s a good idea for a woman to maintain a healthy BMI.
Just note, however, that a woman can have a normal BMI while still having too much body fat and/or too little muscle mass.
How can a lady achieve the ideal weight for women?
To achieve the ideal weight for women of her height, a woman should get regular exercise, sleep well, and consume a healthy, balanced diet.
Many women overlook the importance of sleep when it comes to their health and body composition. But research shows that regular reduced sleep can actually lead to future weight gain. [6]
Diet is, of course, of paramount importance. You should eat enough calories to support your activity level while getting sufficient quantities of protein, fats, and carbohydrates in addition to all of the essential vitamins and minerals.
Exercise should consist of both cardiovascular activity and resistance training so that a woman can maintain a favorable body composition as well as her ideal body weight.
Conclusion: Is it good to have a normal weight for a woman?
Since the normal weight for a woman in the US is considered overweight, it’s not good for a female to have a normal body weight from a physical health perspective.
While some women may have large builds and/or a lot of muscle mass, these body types don’t account for the average weight for women, which is significantly overweight.
Although there is no such thing as the best weight for women as far as a specific number goes, it’s still a good idea for a woman to maintain a healthy BMI so that she doesn’t accumulate excess body fat, which could potentially harm her health.
References
- Fryar CD, Carroll MD, Gu Q, Afful J, Ogden CL. Anthropometric reference data for children and adults: United States, 2015–2018. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 3(46). 2021.
- Walpole, S. C., Prieto-Merino, D., Edwards, P., Cleland, J., Stevens, G., & Roberts, I. (2012). The weight of nations: an estimation of adult human biomass. BMC public health, 12, 439. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-439
- Duin, D. K., Golbeck, A. L., Keippel, A. E., Ciemins, E., Hanson, H., Neary, T., & Fink, H. (2015). Using gender-based analyses to understand physical inactivity among women in Yellowstone County, Montana. Evaluation and program planning, 51, 45–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2014.12.006
- Lind, L., Elmståhl, S., & Ärnlöv, J. (2017). Change in Body Weight from Age 20 Years Is a Powerful Determinant of the Metabolic Syndrome. Metabolic syndrome and related disorders, 15(3), 112–117. https://doi.org/10.1089/met.2016.0121
- Moody, A. (2020). Health Survey for England 2019 Overweight and obesity in adults and children. NHS. https://files.digital.nhs.uk/9D/4195D5/HSE19-Overweight-obesity-rep.pdf
- Patel, S. R., Malhotra, A., White, D. P., Gottlieb, D. J., & Hu, F. B. (2006). Association between reduced sleep and weight gain in women. American journal of epidemiology, 164(10), 947–954. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwj280