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The average Filipino adult aged 20 to 59 weighs 59.8 kg and is 157.4 cm tall. Filipino men average 63.1 kg and 163.4 cm; Filipino women average 56.8 kg and 151.8 cm.
Those figures come from the 2018 to 2019 Expanded National Nutrition Survey of the DOST Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), which weighed and measured 125,425 adults across the country. They are published in Philippine Nutrition Facts and Figures 2018-2019, Table A.12. Every figure in this article is from that report; the table number is given each time so you can check it.
Average weight and height by age and sex
Adults 20 to 59 years old, FNRI Table A.12.
| Age | Men: weight | Men: height | Women: weight | Women: height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 to 29 | 61.3 kg | 164.0 cm | 53.8 kg | 152.6 cm |
| 30 to 39 | 64.1 kg | 163.6 cm | 57.7 kg | 152.1 cm |
| 40 to 49 | 64.5 kg | 163.0 cm | 58.4 kg | 151.6 cm |
| 50 to 59 | 62.5 kg | 162.5 cm | 56.8 kg | 150.9 cm |
| All, 20 to 59 | 63.1 kg | 163.4 cm | 56.8 kg | 151.8 cm |
Weight rises through the twenties and thirties and peaks in the forties for both men and women. Adults in cities weigh more on average than adults in the provinces: 61.2 kg in urban areas against 58.6 kg in rural areas, with the same average height (157.4 cm and 157.3 cm).
Average weight of Filipino seniors
Adults 60 and over, FNRI Table A.20.
| Age | Men: weight | Men: height | Women: weight | Women: height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 to 69 | 59.6 kg | 161.5 cm | 54.1 kg | 149.7 cm |
| 70 to 79 | 55.8 kg | 159.7 cm | 49.5 kg | 147.9 cm |
| 80 and over | 52.1 kg | 157.5 cm | 45.4 kg | 145.7 cm |
| All, 60 and over | 58.2 kg | 160.8 cm | 52.1 kg | 148.8 cm |
In older age the average falls. Some of that is height lost over the years, and some is muscle. Keeping muscle is the reason strength and balance training for seniors matters as much as any number on the scale.
How many Filipino adults are overweight
The same survey grouped adults by body mass index (BMI) using the standard WHO categories (FNRI Table A.13):
- 38.0% of adults 20 to 59 were overweight or obese, a BMI of 25 or more. That was 32.0% in 2015.
- 28.7% were overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9) and 9.3% obese (BMI 30 or more).
- 7.1% were underweight, a BMI under 18.5, which the FNRI calls chronic energy deficiency.
- Women were more often overweight or obese than men: 42.7% against 32.9%.
- The highest rate was among adults 40 to 49, at 45.2%.
The average BMI was 24.1, just under the WHO line for overweight.
Is the average a healthy weight?
An average is a description of the population, and it does not tell you what you should weigh. Two people of the same height and weight can carry very different amounts of fat and muscle. More useful are two measures you can take yourself.
BMI. Divide your weight in kilograms by your height in metres, squared. A Filipina of 151.8 cm and 56.8 kg has a BMI of about 24.6. On the WHO scale that is normal. A WHO expert consultation published in The Lancet in 2004 noted that many Asian populations carry higher health risk at lower BMI, and suggested 23 and 27.5 as extra points for action. On that reading, the same woman is already in the range worth watching.
Waist. A tape measure around the waist tells you more about the fat that affects your health. The survey measured that too (FNRI Table A.14): the average waist of Filipino adults was 79.7 cm, and 33.7% were above the International Diabetes Federation’s cut-off for South and Southeast Asians, 90 cm for men and 80 cm for women. For women alone it was 46.9%. Our guide to visceral fat shows how to measure your waist properly at home.
What to do with your own number
If your weight, BMI or waist is above where it should be, small steady changes work better than a crash diet: more vegetables and a measured cup of rice, more protein at breakfast, and strength training two or three times a week. Our articles on low-calorie Filipino food and losing weight on a rice-based diet cover the food side.
If you have diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease, or you are losing weight without trying, see your doctor first. A registered nutritionist-dietitian can set a target weight for your own health.
Where the numbers come from
DOST Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Philippine Nutrition Facts and Figures 2018-2019: Expanded National Nutrition Survey, published 2023. Tables A.12 (mean weight and height of adults), A.13 (BMI of adults), A.14 (waist circumference of adults) and A.20 (mean weight and height of adults 60 and over). Asian BMI action points: WHO expert consultation, The Lancet, 2004.
Fit Bud’s weight-loss coaching pairs training at home with habit-based guidance on portions, ulam and merienda, and sends anything medical to your doctor. If you would like help, tell us your town and your goal.