BMI Calculator

BMI (Body Mass Index)

Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure indicative of a healthy weight in relation to your height. Having a good weight reduces the probability of developing health-related complications, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and strokes.

BMI is calculated the same way for everyone.

Using the metric system:

Using the Imperial system:

Generally, a healthy BMI ranges from 18.5 - 25, but precisely how healthy your BMI is depends on individual factors, such as age, race and body type.

Remember that your BMI is only an indication of a healthy weight, it is not a definitive, nor a universal marker. Always consult your physician or dietician for advice regarding your weight that is custom to your individual needs.

BMI Special Cases

Women: pregnant or breastfeeding

BMI is **not** an accurate health indicator for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Hormonal fluctuations, as well as growing a baby regularly alter body weight and structure.

Infants (< 2 years)

The body composition of infants younger than 2 years of age does not compare to that of the older population. Fat percentage is much higher and body proportions are different. Furthermore, infants, especially in the first few months, are subject to rapid changes. All this makes BMI not a suitable weight health indicator for infants.

Children and Teens (2 - 19 years)

Children and teens are subject to many bodily changes and phases of growth before reaching adulthood. This makes BMI, especially during growth spurts, not a reliable indicator of a healthy weight, as its value may change from week to week. During puberty, teens gain more muscle/fat as part of healthy development. The age of puberty onset, as well as the amount of fat or muscle that develops is different between girls and boys. That is why the healthy weight range does differentiate between the sexes in this age category.

Elderly (70+ years)

As individuals get older, it gets harder to determine whether some disease has developed because of their weight, or because of old age. This means there is less conclusive research regarding healthy weight ranges for the elderly. Some research suggests that mortality increases at values below 22.0 or above 28.0. This would mean that a BMI between 22.0 - 28.0 is generally considered a healthy weight for elderly above 70 years, although again, this is not conclusive.

Muscular individuals

Muscles are denser than fat. This means a small, but muscular individual can weigh the same amount or more than someone who is noticeably larger. Regularly training your muscles makes your body more dense which, in turn, makes BMI less indicative of a healthy weight.

Asians

Individuals of Asian descent tend to have a somewhat higher body fat percentage than average. This means that at higher BMIs the risks of developing health concerns is larger for Asians. For Asians, the cut-off value for being overweight stands at 23.0 instead of 25.0.

Abnormal body structure

If you consider yourself to have an "abnormal" body structure, then BMI might not be a valid measurement for a healthy weight. Body structure abnormalities include, but are not limited to being exceptionally tall or small, missing a body part or having an extra or disfigured body part.