You're standing in the doctor's office. You’re 5'8". That’s tall for a woman—well above the national average of about 5'4". When you step on the scale, the number is higher than your shorter friends, obviously. But then the nurse looks at a chart, scribbles something down, and suddenly you’re wondering if you’re actually "normal."
What is the average weight for 5 8 female anyway?
It’s a loaded question. Honestly, the "average" weight in the United States isn't necessarily the "healthy" weight. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average weight for an adult woman in the U.S. is around 170.8 pounds. But that’s a broad stat covering every height. For a woman who stands 5'8", the data gets a bit more specific, yet way more complicated.
The Numbers Game: What the Charts Say
If we look at the standard Body Mass Index (BMI) scale—which, let’s be real, is a pretty blunt instrument created in the 1830s—the "healthy" range for a 5'8" woman is roughly 122 to 164 pounds.
That is a massive 42-pound window.
Think about that. A woman weighing 125 pounds looks drastically different from a woman weighing 160 pounds, yet both sit within the same "normal" category. This is where the average weight for 5 8 female starts to feel less like a target and more like a suggestion. If you weigh 165, you're technically "overweight" by one pound. Does that one pound suddenly change your cardiovascular health? Probably not.
But here’s the kicker.
Recent NHANES data suggests the actual observed average for women of this height in the U.S. often trends higher, frequently landing in the 170s or 180s. We have a gap between what the medical charts say we "should" weigh and what we actually weigh.
Why the 5'8" Frame is Unique
At five-foot-eight, you have a larger skeletal structure. Your bones literally weigh more than someone who is 5'2". You also have more room for muscle mass.
Muscle is dense.
If you’re an athlete or someone who hits the squat rack regularly, your weight might scream "obese" on a BMI chart while your body fat percentage is actually quite low. I've seen women at this height who weigh 180 pounds and look incredibly fit because they carry a high amount of lean muscle. On the flip side, someone could be 130 pounds—well within the "average weight for 5 8 female" range—but have high visceral fat and low muscle tone, a condition often called "skinny fat."
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Frame Size Matters (More Than You Think)
We don't talk about frame size enough. You can check yours by wrapping your thumb and middle finger around your wrist.
If they overlap? Small frame.
If they just touch? Medium.
If there’s a gap? Large frame.
A large-framed woman who is 5'8" is naturally going to carry more weight comfortably than a small-framed woman of the same height. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company used to produce height/weight tables that actually accounted for this. For a 5'8" woman with a large frame, they cited a healthy range of 144 to 167 pounds. For a small frame, it was 126 to 139.
Notice how the "average" shifts based on the literal width of your elbows and shoulders?
The BMI Limitation
BMI doesn't know the difference between a gallon of water, a five-pound dumbbell, and five pounds of fat. It just knows gravity is pulling you down with a certain amount of force.
Dr. Nick Trefethen from Oxford University actually proposed a "New BMI" formula because he argued the standard one unfairly penalizes tall people. Since we live in a 3D world, weight shouldn't just be scaled by height squared ($height^2$), but rather by a power of 2.5.
Under this more modern calculation:
$$New BMI = 1.3 \times \frac{weight(kg)}{height(m)^{2.5}}$$
For a 5'8" woman, this formula actually grants a little more leeway, acknowledging that as humans get taller, they also get wider and deeper, not just "longer."
Real World Examples of 5'8" Weights
Let’s look at some public figures to ground this in reality.
- Rihanna is approximately 5'8". Her weight has fluctuated throughout her career, reportedly ranging from 130 to 160 pounds. She looks healthy and iconic at both ends of that spectrum.
- Gal Gadot is roughly 5'10", but during her Wonder Woman training, she gained significant muscle, likely putting her well above what a "standard" chart would expect for a woman of her lean build.
When you search for average weight for 5 8 female, you're often looking for a permission slip to be okay with your number. Honestly? The number is the least interesting thing about your health.
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Beyond the Scale: What Actually Predicts Health?
If you want to stop obsessing over the average, look at these three metrics instead. They tell a much more accurate story of what’s happening inside your body.
1. Waist-to-Hip Ratio
Take a tape measure. Measure the smallest part of your waist and the widest part of your hips. Divide the waist by the hips. For women, a ratio of 0.85 or lower is generally linked to lower risks of heart disease and diabetes. This matters because abdominal fat (visceral fat) is the dangerous kind that wraps around your organs.
2. The "String Test" (Waist-to-Height Ratio)
This one is incredibly simple. Cut a piece of string to your height (5'8"). Fold it in half. Does it fit around your waist? If it does, your waist circumference is less than half your height. This is a remarkably consistent indicator of metabolic health, often outperforming BMI in clinical studies.
3. Blood Markers and Energy
How's your blood pressure? What’s your A1C looking like? Do you have the energy to climb a flight of stairs without gasping? If your "average weight for 5 8 female" is 175 pounds but your blood work is perfect and you’re active, you might just be a person who carries more weight naturally.
The Age Factor
We also have to talk about the "menopause spread" or just general aging. As women age, bone density can decrease, but the body also tends to shift where it stores fat.
A 20-year-old who is 5'8" and 140 pounds is in a different physiological state than a 55-year-old at the same height and weight. Research suggests that for older adults, being slightly "overweight" on the BMI scale (25 to 27) might actually be protective against osteoporosis and mortality.
Basically, as you get older, having a little extra "padding" isn't the disaster the fitness industry makes it out to be.
Cultural Nuance and the "Average"
"Average" changes depending on where you are. In the UK, the average woman is about 5'3" and 155 pounds. In parts of Northern Europe, women are taller on average, shifting the weight expectations upward.
When we talk about the average weight for 5 8 female, we're often looking at Western data. But body composition—the ratio of fat to muscle—varies significantly across different ethnicities. For example, some studies suggest that Asian populations may have a higher risk of metabolic issues at lower BMIs compared to Caucasians.
This is why a single number is so dangerous. It ignores your DNA.
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How to Find Your Own "Healthy" Weight
Instead of chasing a 135-pound ghost because a chart from 1950 told you to, try a more intuitive approach.
Find the weight where you:
- Have a regular menstrual cycle (if applicable).
- Sleep through the night without feeling restless.
- Don't feel "hangry" or obsessed with food 24/7.
- Can perform daily physical tasks with ease.
If that weight is 158 pounds, great. If it’s 168 pounds and you’re lifting heavy weights, also great.
The obsession with the average weight for 5 8 female often stems from a desire for "normalcy." But normal is a statistical average, not a health gold standard. You can be average and unhealthy, or an outlier and thriving.
Practical Steps for Moving Forward
If you’re feeling uneasy about where you land on the scale, don't just go on a crash diet. That’s the fastest way to wreck your metabolism.
First, get a body composition scan if you can. A DEXA scan or even a decent smart scale (though they aren't perfect) can tell you if that weight is coming from muscle or fat. If your body fat percentage is between 21% and 32%, you're generally in a good spot regardless of what the total pounds say.
Second, focus on protein intake. For a 5'8" woman, aim for about 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of target body weight. This helps preserve the muscle you have, which is vital for keeping your metabolic rate high.
Third, stop comparing yourself to 5'4" women. You have a longer chassis. You need more fuel. You will weigh more. Accept that your "base" weight is naturally higher because there is simply more of you to love.
Check your waist-to-height ratio this week. If it's under 0.5, take a deep breath and realize you're likely doing much better than the "average" numbers suggest. Focus on how your clothes fit and how your body moves. Those are the metrics that actually define a life well-lived.
Assess your daily movement patterns. If you're sedentary, even a "perfect" weight won't save your cardiovascular health. Start by adding 2,000 extra steps a day or two sessions of resistance training per week to ensure that whatever weight you carry, it’s supported by a strong, functional frame.
The goal isn't to be the average weight; it's to be the healthiest version of your specific 5'8" self.