BMI Calculator

Your BMI -- a ratio of your weight to height -- helps to determine whether you're at an appropriate weight.

Calculate Your Body Mass Index

Your BMIcan help you determine whether you're carrying excess, or not enough or just the right amount of body fat.

En espanol (BMI) is a measure of the body's fat percentage that is determined by how tall and at what weight. Doctors use BMI together with other indicators of health, to assess the state of health of an adult and the potential health risks. Individuals with higher BMIs are more likely to be diagnosed with chronic illnesses, such as sleep apnea and heart disease. To find your own BMI make use of this calculator.

To calculate your BMI you must select your weight, height and size in the table below. When you click the 'Calculate button, you'll then be taken to a section that will inform you of your results.Height 4' 5 6 7' 0" 1" 2" 3" 4" 5" 6" 7" 8" 9" 10" 11" Weightlbs.CALCULATE

(NOTE: BMIshould not be used for assessing the weight of a child because the right weight for a child differs according to the child's age.)

The majority of people with larger BMIs are at a higher risk of developing illnesses such as heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea along with type 2 diabetes. But other factors include the history of your family, food habits and exercise level- also influence your overall health.

BMI results from the calculator are placed into broad categories such as healthy weight, underweight, overweight and obese.

While you analyze your results remember that BMI has limits, and that BMI guidelines differ based on gender and other variables. (For example, BMI may underestimate body fat levels in an older person losing muscle mass.)

If you have questions or concerns about the BMI results, consult with your doctor or health care provider.

FAQs

What is BMI?

BMI (or body mass index is a tool for screening that considers an individual's height and weight. It slots people into four weight categories (underweight, healthy weight, overweight, obese) which may be linked to health issues. However, BMI isn't a direct indicator of the health of a person.

What is a healthy BMI?

The healthy weight category is defined as a BMI that is somewhere between 18.5 and 24.9. If you are in this category, it is less prone to health problems than the underweight, overweight and obese categories.

What do I need be my BMI be?

A "healthy weight" category--defined as a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9--is thought to be ideal. But remember that BMI is not a perfect measurement. It does, for instance, not take into account how much fat you carry or the location in which fat is distributed. These are all factors that may affect the health of your metabolism.

What is BMI calculated?

Body mass index (BMI) is the persons weight expressed in kilograms multiplied by the quadratic of the height in meters.

How precise are the measurements of BMI?

It depends. BMI does not reveal how much of your weight is made up of muscle or fat, so it misses information important to assess your health risks.For example, athletes can have an elevated BMI because of their muscle mass, even if they're not obese. Also, the definitions for the weight classes were based on white populations, meaning they may not be as accurate for other races and ethnicities.

How does age or race impact BMI?

BMI doesn't differentiate between fat, bone and muscle. As such, it's not as accurate in older people, who tend to reduce muscle mass and bone density as they get older. (That's why people over 65 can gain from a slightly higher BMI, from 25 to 27.) Research shows that the BMI measurement of weight underestimates risk in Black individuals and undervalues the risk in people of Asian descent, which can cause unsuitable treatment and health disparities.

Are BMI guidelines the same for men and women?

The recommended amount of body fat is different between females and males. For women the ideal amount of body fat level is between 20 and 21 percent. (The the average American woman has about 22-25 per cent body fat.) For males, the recommended level of body fat is between 13 and 17 percent. (The average American man has 17.5% to 19.5% body fat.)

To figure out your ideal body weight, test this formula:

• Women 100 lbs of body weight for the first 5 feet of height + 5 pounds for each increment of an inch.
• Men men: 106lbs of body weight for the first 5 feet of height + 6 pounds per increment of an inch.

If you have a small body frame, however you can subtract 10 percent off the figure. For a large frame, add 10 percent.