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For most adults, a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 to 24.9 indicates a healthy weight, however that may depend on various lifestyle factors. Calculate your BMI here.
A good body mass index (BMI) lies between 18.5 and 24.9 for most individuals. The BMI value for American Asians lies between 18.5 and less than 23.0 because they have an inherently high level of visceral fat.
BMI lets you know if you are underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese.
Your BMI is calculated from your weight and height, which lets you know if your weight is normal in relation to your height. Here is how you can calculate BMI:
- BMI = weight in kilograms divided by height in meter, then again divide the result by height in meter
- For example, if your height is 160 cm (1.6 m) and weight is 60 kg, your BMI is calculated as follows:
- BMI = 60 ÷ 1.60 = 37.5 and 37.5 ÷ 1.60 = 23.44
Alternatively, you can multiply your weight in pounds by 703, divide by your height in inches and then divide again by your height in inches. Additional metrics, such as waist circumference, can be useful in determining your healthy weight.
(BMI under 25 kg/m2)
Moderate risk
(BMI 25–29.9 kg/m2)
Overweight
High risk
(BMI 30 kg/m2 and above)
Obese
118 or less
119–142
143 or more
123 or less
124–147
148 or more
127 or less
128–152
153 or more
131 or less
132–157
158 or more
135 or less
136–163
164 or more
140 or less
141–168
169 or more
144 or less
145–173
174 or more
149 or less
150–179
180 or more
154 or less
155–185
186 or more
158 or less
159–190
191 or more
163 or less
164–196
197 or more
168 or less
169–202
203 or more
173 or less
174–208
209 or more
178 or less
179–214
215 or more
183 or less
184–220
221 or more
188 or less
189–226
227 or more
193 or less
194–232
233 or more
199 or less
200–239
240 or more
204 or less
205–245
246 or more
Can BMI tell you the percentage of fat in your body?
Body mass index (BMI) is an easy and inexpensive tool that can determine whether you’re at a healthy weight in relation to your height or if you need to lose weight. However, it does not tell you if the excess weight gain is due to excess body fat. Although two people can have the same BMI, they may not have a similar amount of fat percentage in their bodies because of certain physiological and lifestyle differences that include:
- Men and women may have the same BMI, but women naturally have more body fat than men.
- An old person and a young adult may have the same BMI, but older people will have less amount of muscle and bone mass than youngsters.
- An athlete and a nonathlete may have the same BMI, but the former has less body fat than the latter.
- An African American and an American may have the same BMI, but the African American is more likely to have less fat than the American. Similarly, Asians have more body fat than Americans.
Along with BMI, your doctor will consider the following factors to know if you are at a higher risk of health problems:
- Skinfold thickness measurements
- Waist–hip ratio
- Waist circumference
- Diet
- Physical activity
- Family history
Other methods to measure body fat include:
- Skinfold thickness measurements (with calipers)
- Hydrostatic or underwater weighing
- Bioelectrical impedance
- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
- Air displacement plethysmography (using a BOD POD machine)
- Isotope dilution
However, these methods are not available everywhere, and they either are expensive or need to be conducted by professionals with technical expertise.
What are the health risks of obesity in adults?
According to categories based on body mass index (BMI),
- A high BMI between 25 and 29.9 is termed overweight (in Asian Americans, a BMI between 23.0 and 27.5 is overweight).
- A high BMI over 30 is termed obese (a BMI above 27.5 is obese in Asian Americans).
People who have obesity are at a higher risk of many health problems, including:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Dyslipidemia (a condition characterized by high bad cholesterol, low good cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides)
- Coronary heart disease
- Stroke
- Type II diabetes
- Osteoarthritis
- Gallbladder disease
- Sleep apnea (episodes of temporary cessation of breathing while asleep)
- Some types of cancer
- Psychological problems illness such as depression and anxiety
- Early (premature) death