How do I calculate my BMI?
BMI is a way to determine if a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese.
Body mass index (BMI) is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight. The formula for calculating BMI is given in Table 1.
Table 1. The Formula for Calculating BMI
Measurement UnitsFormula and CalculationKilograms and meters (or centimeters)Formula: weight (kg) / height (m)2
The formula for BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. If height has been measured in centimeters, divide by 100 to convert this to meters.
Pounds and inches
Formula: 703 x weight (lbs) / height (in)2
When using English measurements, pounds should be divided by inches squared. This should then be multiplied by 703 to convert from lbs/inches2 to kg/m2.
Example: If a person weighs 65 kg and the person’s height is 165 cm (1.65 m), the BMI is calculated as 65 ÷ (1.65)2 = 23.87 kg/m2, which means that the person has a BMI of 23.87 kg/m2 and is considered to have a healthy weight.
When calculating in pounds and inches, if a person weighs 120 lbs and the person’s height is 5 feet 6 inches (66 inches), the BMI is calculated as 703 x 120/(66)2 = 19.3 kg/m2, which means that the person has a BMI of 19.3 kg/m2 and is considered to have a healthy weight.
What is the body mass index (BMI)?
Body mass index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. It indicates the amount of body fat.
BMI is the most inexpensive screening tool to measure body fat. Although it does not directly measure body fat, it can be correlated with a more direct measure of body fat.
The various categories of BMI include
- BMI values less than 18.5 kg/m2 are considered underweight
- BMI values between 18.5 kg/m2 to 24.9 kg/m2 are healthy
- BMI values between 25 kg/m2 to 30 kg/m2 are overweight
- BMI values greater than 40 kg/m2 are considered obese
What is the ideal BMI?
The ideal weight has been mentioned in Table 2.
Table 2. Ideal Weight in lbs According to Height
HeightMinimal risk(BMI under 25 kg/m2)
Moderate risk
(BMI 25–29.9 kg/m2)
Overweight
High risk
(BMI 30 kg/m2 and above)
Obese
4'10''118 or less119–142143 or more4'11''123 or less124–147148 or more5'0''127 or less128–152153 or more5'1''131 or less132–157158 or more5'2''135 or less136–163164 or more5'3''140 or less141–168169 or more5'4''144 or less145–173174 or more5'5''149 or less150–179180 or more5'6''154 or less155–185186 or more5'7''158 or less159–190191 or more5'8''163 or less164–196197 or more5'9''168 or less169–202203 or more5'10''173 or less174–208209 or more5'11''178 or less179–214215 or more6'0''183 or less184–220221 or more6'1''188 or less189–226227 or more6'2''193 or less194–232233 or more6'3''199 or less200–239240 or more6'4''204 or less205–245246 or more
What are the advantages of maintaining a healthy weight?
By maintaining a healthy weight, the individual enjoys the following advantages
- Reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers
- Better sleep quality
- Fewer muscle and joint pains
- Reduced risk of high blood pressure and diabetes
- Better regulation of bodily fluids
- Reduced burden on the heart and circulatory system
- High energy and ability to complete the desired activities
- Reduced cholesterol levels
- Reduced risk of gallbladder disease
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