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BMI = 25 kg/m2 (Normal)

weight
Over
al 30
m 25
or O
35
N

be
s it
.5

y
ht
7 18
eig
16 1
Underw

BMI = 25 40

Healthy BMI range: 18.5 kg/m2 - 25 kg/m2

Healthy weight for the height: 54.7 kg - 74 kg
BMI Prime: 1
Ponderal Index: 14.5 kg/m3

US Units Metric Units Other Units

Age 45 ages: 2 - 120

Gender Male Female

Height 172 cm

Weight 74 kg

Calculate Clear

The Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator can be

used to calculate BMI value and corresponding
weight status while taking age into consideration.
Use the "Metric Units" tab for the International
System of Units or the "Other Units" tab to convert
units into either US or metric units. Note that the
calculator also computes the Ponderal Index in
addition to BMI, both of which are discussed below
in detail.

BMI introduction

BMI is a measurement of a person's leanness or

corpulence based on their height and weight, and is
intended to quantify tissue mass. It is widely used
as a general indicator of whether a person has a
healthy body weight for their height. Specifically,
the value obtained from the calculation of BMI is
used to categorize whether a person is
underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese
depending on what range the value falls between.
These ranges of BMI vary based on factors such as
region and age, and are sometimes further divided
into subcategories such as severely underweight or
very severely obese. Being overweight or
underweight can have significant health effects, so
while BMI is an imperfect measure of healthy body
weight, it is a useful indicator of whether any
additional testing or action is required. Refer to the
table below to see the different categories based
on BMI that are used by the calculator.

BMI table for adults

This is the World Health Organization's (WHO)

recommended body weight based on BMI values
for adults. It is used for both men and women, age
20 or older.

Classification BMI range - kg/m2

Severe Thinness < 16
Moderate Thinness 16 - 17
Mild Thinness 17 - 18.5
Normal 18.5 - 25
Overweight 25 - 30
Obese Class I 30 - 35
Obese Class II 35 - 40
Obese Class III > 40

BMI chart for adults

This is a graph of BMI categories based on the

World Health Organization data. The dashed lines
represent subdivisions within a major
categorization.

BMI table for children and teens, age 2-

20

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) recommends BMI categorization for children
and teens between age 2 and 20.

Category Percentile Range

Underweight <5%
Healthy weight 5% - 85%
At risk of overweight 85% - 95%
Overweight >95%

BMI chart for children and teens, age 2-

20

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) BMI-for-age percentiles growth charts.
Chart for boys
Chart for girls

Risks associated with being overweight

Being overweight increases the risk of a number of

serious diseases and health conditions. Below is a
list of said risks, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

High blood pressure

Higher levels of LDL cholesterol, which is
widely considered "bad cholesterol," lower
levels of HDL cholesterol, considered to be
good cholesterol in moderation, and high
levels of triglycerides
Type II diabetes
Coronary heart disease
Stroke
Gallbladder disease
Osteoarthritis, a type of joint disease caused
by breakdown of joint cartilage
Sleep apnea and breathing problems
Certain cancers (endometrial, breast, colon,
kidney, gallbladder, liver)
Low quality of life
Mental illnesses such as clinical depression,
anxiety, and others
Body pains and difficulty with certain physical
functions
Generally, an increased risk of mortality
compared to those with a healthy BMI

As can be seen from the list above, there are

numerous negative, in some cases fatal, outcomes
that may result from being overweight. Generally, a
person should try to maintain a BMI below 25
kg/m2, but ideally should consult their doctor to
determine whether or not they need to make any
changes to their lifestyle in order to be healthier.

Risks associated with being

underweight

Being underweight has its own associated risks,

listed below:

Malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, anemia

(lowered ability to carry blood vessels)
Osteoporosis, a disease that causes bone
weakness, increasing the risk of breaking a
bone
A decrease in immune function
Growth and development issues, particularly
in children and teenagers
Possible reproductive issues for women due
to hormonal imbalances that can disrupt the
menstrual cycle. Underweight women also
have a higher chance of miscarriage in the
first trimester
Potential complications as a result of surgery
Generally, an increased risk of mortality
compared to those with a healthy BMI

In some cases, being underweight can be a sign of

some underlying condition or disease such as
anorexia nervosa, which has its own risks. Consult
your doctor if you think you or someone you know
is underweight, particularly if the reason for being
underweight does not seem obvious.

Limitations of BMI

Although BMI is a widely used and useful indicator

of healthy body weight, it does have its limitations.
BMI is only an estimate that cannot take body
composition into account. Due to a wide variety of
body types as well as distribution of muscle, bone
mass, and fat, BMI should be considered along
with other measurements rather than being used as
the sole method for determining a person's healthy
body weight.
In adults:
BMI cannot be fully accurate because it is a
measure of excess body weight, rather than excess
body fat. BMI is further influenced by factors such
as age, sex, ethnicity, muscle mass, body fat, and
activity level, among others. For example, an older
person who is considered a healthy weight, but is
completely inactive in their daily life may have
significant amounts of excess body fat even though
they are not heavy. This would be considered
unhealthy, while a younger person with higher
muscle composition of the same BMI would be
considered healthy. In athletes, particularly
bodybuilders who would be considered overweight
due to muscle being heavier than fat, it is entirely
possible that they are actually at a healthy weight
for their body composition. Generally, according to
the CDC:

Older adults tend to have more body fat than

younger adults with the same BMI.
Women tend to have more body fat than men
for an equivalent BMI.
Muscular individuals and highly trained
athletes may have higher BMIs due to large
muscle mass.

In children and adolescents:

The same factors that limit the efficacy of BMI for
adults can also apply to children and adolescents.
Additionally, height and level of sexual maturation
can influence BMI and body fat among children.
BMI is a better indicator of excess body fat for
obese children than it is for overweight children,
whose BMI could be a result of increased levels of
either fat or fat-free mass (all body components
except for fat, which includes water, organs,
muscle, etc.). In thin children, the difference in BMI
can also be due to fat-free mass.
That being said, BMI is fairly indicative of body fat
for 90-95% of the population, and can effectively be
used along with other measures to help determine
an individual's healthy body weight.

BMI formula

Below are the equations used for calculating BMI in

the International System of Units (SI) and the US
customary system (USC) using a 5'10", 160-pound
individual as an example:

USC Units:
mass (lbs) 160
BMI = 703× = 703× = 23.0
height2 (in) 702

SI, Metric Units:

mass (kg) 72.57
BMI = = = 23.0
height2 (m) 1.7782

BMI Prime

BMI prime is the ratio of a person's measured BMI

to the upper limit of BMI that is considered
"normal," by institutions such as the WHO and the
CDC. Though it may differ in some countries, such
as those in Asia, this upper limit, which will be
referred to as BMIupper is 25 kg/m2.
The BMI prime formula is:
BMI
BMI prime =
25
Since BMI prime is a ratio of two BMI values, BMI
prime is a dimensionless value. A person who has
a BMI prime less than 0.74 is classified as
underweight; from 0.74 to 1 is classified as normal;
greater than 1 is classified as overweight; and
greater than 1.2 is classified as obese. The table
below shows a person's weight classification based
on their BMI prime:

Classification BMI BMI Prime

Severe Thinness < 16 < 0.64
Moderate Thinness 16 - 17 0.64 - 0.68
Mild Thinness 17 - 18.5 0.68 - 0.74
Normal 18.5 - 25 0.74 - 1
Overweight 25 - 30 1 - 1.2
Obese Class I 30 - 35 1.2- 1.4
Obese Class II 35 - 40 1.4 - 1.6
Obese Class III > 40 > 1.6
BMI prime allows us to make a quick assessment
of how much a person's BMI differs from the upper
limit of BMI that is considered normal. It also allows
for comparisons between groups of people who
have different upper BMI limits.

Ponderal Index

The Ponderal Index (PI) is similar to BMI in that it

measures the leanness or corpulence of a person
based on their height and weight. The main
difference between the PI and BMI is the cubing
rather than squaring of the height in the formula
(provided below). While BMI can be a useful tool
when considering large populations, it is not
reliable for determining leanness or corpulence in
individuals. Although the PI suffers from similar
considerations, the PI is more reliable for use with
very tall or short individuals, while BMI tends to
record uncharacteristically high or low body fat
levels for those on the extreme ends of the height
and weight spectrum. Below is the equation for
computing the PI of an individual using USC, again
using a 5'10", 160-pound individual as an example:

USC Units:
height (in) 70
PI = = = 12.9
∛mass (lbs) ∛160

SI, Metric Units:

mass (kg) 72.57
PI = = = 12.9
height3 (m) 1.7783

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