Calculate your Body Mass Index instantly with detailed interpretation and health Recommendance BMI Calculator Free, Secure & Easy!
Enter your details
BMI Categories:
BMI is a general health indicator and may not be suitable for everyone (e.g., athletes, pregnant women).
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value calculated from your weight and height that provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people. It is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.
BMI is a simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive method to assess whether an individual has a healthy body weight for their height. While it doesn't measure body fat directly, research has shown that BMI correlates with more direct measures of body fat.
BMI Formula: BMI = weight (kg) / (height (m))² or BMI = (weight (lbs) × 703) / (height (in))²
Knowing your BMI can help you and your healthcare provider assess your health risks:
Identifies potential weight-related health risks
Helps prevent obesity-related conditions
Monitors progress in weight management programs
Used by doctors to identify potential health issues
Helps establish healthy weight goals
Used in population health studies
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines these standard BMI categories:
May indicate malnutrition, eating disorder, or other health problems
Healthy weight range with lowest disease risk
Increased risk for developing health problems
High risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions
Very high risk for serious health conditions
Extremely high risk with severe obesity-related health problems
BMI interpretation for children and teens considers age and gender:
While BMI is a useful screening tool, it has some limitations:
May overestimate body fat in athletes with high muscle mass
May underestimate body fat in older adults who have lost muscle
Doesn't distinguish between fat, muscle, and bone mass
Some ethnic groups may have different health risks at the same BMI
Not appropriate for pregnant women
May be less accurate for very tall or very short individuals
BMI is a useful screening tool but not a diagnostic of body fatness or health. It should be used along with other assessments like waist circumference, diet, physical activity, and family history.
Children's body fat changes with age and differs between boys and girls, so their BMI is compared to growth charts for their specific age and gender.
For adults over 65, a BMI between 23 and 29 may be healthier than the standard range, as slightly higher BMI can protect against osteoporosis.
Yes, athletes with high muscle mass may have a high BMI that classifies them as overweight despite having low body fat.
For most adults, checking every 3-6 months is sufficient unless you're actively trying to lose or gain weight.
Waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage measurements, and comprehensive health assessments provide more complete pictures of health.
Our BMI Calculator is optimized for these search terms: