Body Mass Index Print E-mail
Body mass indexThe Body Mass Index is a simple indicator of the relationship between your height and your weight. If your BMI is above 25 you are considered overweight and if your BMI is above 30 you are considered obese.

Instructions:
1. Measure your height and weight and enter values
2. Note that the intepretation of the result do not apply to people whith an abnormal muscle mass.


Background:

Body mass index is a useful tool for assessing overweight in populations. It is however a very unprecise evaluation of overweight on an individual level as muscularity and general frame size of the body is not taken in to account.

Classification of overweight in relation to BMI

Classification
BMI (kg/m2)
Underweight
<18.5
Normal weight
18.5-24.9
Overweight
25.0-29.9
Obesity class I
30.0-34.9
Obesity class II
35.0-39.9
Obesity class III
> 40

 

References:

Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic of Obesity. Report of the World Health Organization Consultation of Obesity. WHO, Geneva, June 1997.

Quetelet LAJ. Sur I'homme et le developpement de ses facultes, ou essai de physique sociale. Paris: Bachelier, 1835. (The original BMI-reference)



Comments (12)add comment

Kristi said:


mine is 40.8 :( I'm only 16 and have been trying everything I can do to lose weight and it doesn't work. I have been jogging for and hour each day for the past few months and been cutting down on what I eat (I didn't eat much to begin with and I hate sweets) but I have managed to gain weight and its very frustrating.. I'd rather be underweight than overweight.
December 08, 2011

supercoup said:


Checking your BMI will give you an accurate idea of how much weight you need to lose. What it does not show you is how to achieve it. If you can lose weight naturally is better than relying on weight reduction pills but if you are struggling appetite suppressants and fat burners might help you.
October 12, 2011

Onida Vumint said:


Is it really helpful in assessing our health? Being obese put individuals at a higher risk of health problems, but two new studies published today call this realization into a question. The studies indicated that the BMI scale might not be a correct health predictor. Related article I read: BMI and obesity may not predict health problems . Realization that we should not rely on just one medical test with regards to our health condition.
August 17, 2011

Brianed1 said:


I have only 11% body fat which is very low and have a BMI of 23.8. I am by no means stocky either. I am currently at my training weight for triathlon. If I were to have an 18.5 BMI which is still 'healthy' I would have to drop 15kg! I would look absolutely emaciated! Given that healthy males have a lower percentage of body fat, which weighs less, along with the fact that they have a broader bone structure that is designed to facilitate bigger muscles, they should be given a higher 'healthy' range than females on the BMI calculator. I could not imagine a male with BMI 18.5 and it is no coincidence that most females would rather not imagine this either!
March 18, 2011

Kristina Bradford said:


I can appreciate that people are becoming more health conscious and we are being provided with more tools to get there, but I feel that they should come up with something more personalized. According to this BMI calculator I am obese. I will tell you if I were to loose as much weight at this "advises" me to then I would be very sick. My natural weight with my body type is much more than this allows. If people with poor self esteem actually took this BMI into consideration then, we will be creating poor self body images. Not all body types fit into this calculator.
February 16, 2011

Morten Z said:


Dave - that can be true in some cases - especially if you talk about activities like running. On the other hand, the more muscular person is likely to have more muscle control around the joints, which prevents joint problems.
September 30, 2010

dave said:


Even if its muscle thats causing the overweight condition, for health problems like joint pain in the legs or in the spine that doesnt really matter. It is the raw mass that counts there. Of course being overweight because of muscles instead of fat is healthier on the internal organs, it still is very hard on the joints. So working out to the point of "muscle obesity" is not too healthy either, at least not for the joints.
September 30, 2010

James said:


I find BMI to be useless, or at least wildly invalid for people that are outside the average stature. I'm 6'5" and with my frame, my natural weight is around 240, and that's with very little body fat.
June 19, 2010

trk said:


it's very easy to ignore, actually. it only accounts for weight and height, with no consideration of what makes up that weight. Body composition is a waaaaaay more important number, but its not so easy to measure.
May 19, 2010

saqib said:


it is very help ful
March 18, 2010

Faraz Ahmed said:


this is the first time i visited your site and found it very helpful. how can one ignored such important part of life that is health.
December 09, 2009

BigD said:


does not account for lean muscle mass.
November 04, 2008

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