To say this is average size?

[PinkRiceKrispies]

5'3 and 8 and a half stone.
Would you say that is average and not 'tiny?'

I'm 4'11 and the same weight, I currently look a little larger than I'm happy with but seeing as I still comfortably fit in size 8 and the average is a 16 I know I am actually still smaller than average. Someone who was a foot taller than me at the same weight would look a lot thinner obviously, equally I carry weight different to my friend for instance meaning even though we are similar weights and fairly similar heights, my body looks different to hers and so giving weight isn't actually all that helpful.

You've got my body OP! I'm happy with my height and weight. When I was 7 stone 8, I was really skinny, but that was because I was an undiagnosed coeliac and couldn't put weight on in spite of industrial quantities of Mars bars. A healthy BMI person isn't likely to take up as much NHS time as (ahem) ladies, so give yourself a clap on the back and enjoy being a healthy weight 😉

Bit on the petite size but sounds healthy.

I suspect average is about 5"4-5"5 for women nowadays.

*side not size

@Changingnametime , petite clothes ranges are usually for 5'3" and under or 5'2" and under. I'm average height and just a little too tall for them.

Petite doesn't refer to someone of a dainty build.

Generally, young people are taller than the generations before them, but people are living longer, and people shrink as they get older. If you took the average of women's height excluding children and the elderly, the average would be higher/taller.

@LocalHobo , 8.5 stones would not be skinny on me (5'4"). I'm towards the lower end of BMI and am definitely not skinny, thin or dainty. I'd be fat at the top end of the BMI range.

Depends whether you mean average or healthy.

No, not subjective. If you take OP's height into account, then her BMI is 21.2 which is in the healthy range. Less than 18 would be underweight.

I’m 5’1 and weigh 116 lbs.

I like the way I look, I like how my clothes fit, I love that I have lots of energy to play with my toddler, what others opinions of how they think I look I don’t care about. Neither should you.

I'd say you're just a regular person, unremarkable.

Your colleague is rude. Why were you embarrassed though?
Surely you know if you're healthy or not, and have enough perspective to see what's around you, to know where you fit on the scale of size.

I'm the same size as OP and was much thinner when younger. I think I am quite small, but not skinny.

I’m 5ft 2in and during the nanosecond I weighed 7.5 st my dad was highly concerned that I was anorexic, you could see all my ribs. I’m three stone heavier now but I look a lot better.

I would say it’s not statistically average in terms of current reality since many people are overweight or obese. But its average height, and terms of what you could and should be weight wise for your height it’s approximately average yes. Unremarkable.

Doesn't shape come into it? I am that height/weight but curvy. So, I might have a small frame but am in no way skinny. The only women who ever referred to me as skinny or thin were trying to clumsily 'compliment' me or were overweight and were projecting on me. People have funny ideas about weight, shape, size!

Wow I am 5ft 2 and thought I was particularly short. Pleased to know I am just a smidge under average. Every day is a learning day!

OP I am around your weight and I don't feel particularly tiny, however I know we are smaller than average in that sense.

Don't let your colleagues comments bother you, their rudeness only embarrasses them.

I was that height and weight pre kids. I’d say I was smaller than average but definitely not slim/skinny, I still had belly fat and such. People can carry weight different - I’m long limbed for my height (so petite trousers are too short) - I’ve got a really short torso - and I carry weight around the middle/face, so even though my BMI was slap bang in the middle of “healthy” - I still looked heavier than other people with similar measurements on paper.

Im now … not that size. Now, as someone in my mid 30s, I don’t think I’d look good with those measurements, because my body shape has changed from when I was in my early 20s (I had no boobs/hips back then) - I suit being about a stone more than that now.

You just suddenly asked 6 women their weight?

Well, 5 women, I included myself. We discuss all sort's, is that unusual? Funnily enough our weight had already been mentioned this week because apparently they write it on your helmet on a particular zip wire one colleague is experiencing this summer.
Weight is nothing to be coy about in my life.

The average female height in the UK is 5’3

Im pretty sure that’s not correct!

Im 5”8 - I must be a giant! Funnily enough I don’t consider myself particularly tall - I see plenty of women my height and taller.

Im 11 stone size 10-12. I would say 5”3” 8 stone is small and petite but a healthy weight for that height.

I agree with you that OP shouldn't care what others think of her, but the double standard here is what really irritates me. I've had this type of commentary all my life from (usually) overweight women mentioning on how "skinny" I am, speculating on what I eat etc. Can you imagine the outrage if I replied "oh and you're so fat". Why is it considered acceptable to comment negatively on a healthy person's perfectly healthy weight?

Your colleague is rude and also a liar. You’re slightly shorter than average (I think it’s 5 ft 4) but a healthy weight for your height. I’m 5 ft 2 and weigh a lot less than you and I’m coming to the end of my second trimester of pregnancy. I’m healthy weight. The UK has lost touch of what is healthy.

Lighten up and have a pie.

To be the supposed UK average of 5’3” and 11 stone, would that make you the supposed UK average size of 16? Because I think 11 stone is heavy (not “average” for someone 5’3”.

If 5’3 is the average height for a woman in the UK, why are clothes so long ?

I’m 5ft4 and 9 stone, so roughly similar. Occasionally someone will say that I’m very skinny, but I’m really not

Yes, this.

This.
I don't promote body-shaming but at the same time too many people are attempting to normalise obesity.