Health
BMI calculator: check your body mass index
Free BMI calculator in metric or imperial units. Enter your height and weight for an instant body mass index, your category and your healthy weight range.
BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared. Below 18.5 is underweight, 18.5–24.9 is a healthy weight, 25–29.9 is overweight and 30 or above is obesity. Use the calculator above rather than doing the arithmetic yourself.
BMI calculator
— BMI
Enter your height and weight to see your BMI.
Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is stored or transmitted. For adults aged 18 and over.
What if, in less than a minute, you could find out if your body is healthy or at risk of being overweight or obese simply by entering your height and weight? A body mass index (BMI) calculator may accomplish just that, providing you with immediate information about your health.
Worldwide, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is on the rise, so it's crucial that you don't skip this easy check to avoid potentially dangerous health complications.
Why BMI Matters
- Worldwide, almost 890 million people will be dealing with obesity in 2022.
- Approximately 43 percent of adults, including both sexes, are considered overweight or obese.
- Chronic disorders like heart disease, diabetes, and several malignancies are greatly increased in people who are overweight or obese.
- It is commonly believed that a person's body mass index (BMI) is the best indicator of whether their weight poses health problems.
All of this points to the importance of keeping tabs on body mass index (BMI) using a trustworthy calculator as a means of promoting health literacy and avoiding chronic diseases.
What Is BMI And What’s A BMI Calculator?
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a calculation of body fat based on a person's height and weight. Worldwide, medical experts use it as a quick way to determine if an adult's weight is healthy.
A BMI calculator, such as the one on this page, makes this simple: enter your height and weight, and it will return your BMI result along with a category (underweight, normal, overweight, or obese).
How BMI Is Calculated
The formula for determining body mass index is as follows:
- BMI = weight (kg) ÷ [height (m)]²
- Automatically accomplishing this math is a feature of most online calculators. Just type in:
- The mass of you, measured in kilos or pounds
- How tall you are, measured in meters, central inches, or feet
- Next, hit "Calculate" to obtain your body mass index (BMI) in a flash.
BMI Categories
After calculating your body mass index (BMI), you will be placed into one of the following categories:
- Underweight: BMI < 18.5
- Normal / Healthy Weight: BMI 18.5 – 24.9
- Overweight: BMI 25 – 29.9
- Obesity: BMI ≥ 30
These classifications are employed by international health organizations to assess health hazards associated with weight.
Being Overweight Has Risks
Obesity raises the risk of developing numerous major health problems. According to the CDC, these hazards are:
- Hypertension
- Higher levels of triglycerides, lower levels of HDL (a "good" cholesterol), and higher levels of LDL (the "bad" cholesterol).
- Diabetic complications of type II.
- Myocardial infarction.
- Brain Attack.
- Damage to the gallbladder.
- As a result of cartilage breaking down in the joints, osteoarthritis happens.
- Sleep apnoea and other respiratory issues.
- This includes specific malignancies of the breast, colon, kidney, gallbladder, and liver.
- Poor standard of living.
- Anxiety disorders, major depressive disorders, and other mental diseases.
- Discomfort in the body and problems with performing specific bodily tasks.
- The risk of death is higher than it would be for people with a normal body mass index (BMI).
Risks Of Being Underweight
- The risks of being underweight are as follows:
- Deficiencies in vitamins, anemia (reduced blood vessel carrying capacity), and malnutrition
- Osteoporosis is a disorder that weakens bones, making them more prone to fracture.
- Reduced immunological response
- Problems with maturation and growth, especially in youth
- Hormonal imbalances can cause menstrual cycle disruptions, which can lead to reproductive difficulties for women. There is an increased risk of miscarriage in the first trimester for women who are underweight.
- Infections that could develop after surgery
- The risk of death is higher than it would be for people with a normal body mass index (BMI).
How To Use An Online BMI Calculator (Men & Women)
You may easily use a body mass index (BMI) calculator. Observe these procedures:
- Open a trustworthy body mass index (BMI) calculator, such as the one at the top of this page.
- Make your choice of measurement unit (e.g., kg/m or lbs/in).
- Please provide your height and weight.
- Select "Calculate."
- Find out what your body mass index is and where you fall on the spectrum from underweight to obese.
- As an optional component Write down the outcome; do it again later to see how things have changed over time.
Weight and height are the only factors that affect BMI, hence the same procedure is used for men and women.
Limitations Of BMI
Despite its utility, body mass index (BMI) is best viewed as a screening tool rather than a final diagnosis due to its significant limitations. A few of its downsides are:
- It does not measure body fat directly since it cannot tell the difference between muscle and fat. An individual with a high body mass index (BMI) need not be overweight.
- It doesn't look at changes in age, gender, body composition, or fat distribution, all of which are important for figuring out health risk.
- Simply having a "normal" body mass index (BMI) does not indicate that a person leads a healthy lifestyle or does not have any risk factors, such as an unhealthy diet or an insufficient amount of physical activity.
- Body mass index (BMI) calculations might be inaccurate for several groups, including athletes, the elderly, and those with abnormal body composition.
Thus, many specialists propose combining BMI with waist circumference, body-fat percentage, and overall health assessment for a fuller picture.
When You Should Check Your BMI
Numerous scenarios call for the use of a body mass index (BMI) calculator, such as:
- Before beginning a new exercise, regimen, or eating plan, it's a good idea to determine your current fitness level.
- Usually there is a great shift in your body mass index, such as following a surgical procedure, a change in diet or exercise habits, or the birth of a child, etc.
- If you have signs of being overweight, like tiredness, joint pain, or risk factors, use this as an early warning system.
- A body mass index (BMI) is a useful and easy metric to add to your health profile when you go in for your annual checkup.
- When you want to make more informed decisions about your future by comparing yourself to healthy weight ranges.
This is not medical advice
This page is general information and cannot account for your individual circumstances. For decisions that matter, speak to a qualified healthcare professional.
Frequently asked questions
Which method is the most accurate for determining BMI?
By dividing a person's weight in kilograms (kg) by their height in meters (m²), healthcare providers can get their body mass index (BMI).
What age range is BMI useful for?
The Body Mass Index tells you how much fat you have overall. The ideal weight for your health is more accurately estimated by this method. Anyone above the age of 18 can use this calculator.
Can gender affect body mass index?
Yes, the formula for calculating body mass index (BMI) remains the same regardless of your gender. When figuring out someone's BMI, it's important to keep in mind that women usually have a higher body fat rate than men, even if their BMI is the same.