WELLNESS

Body Mass Index

The Body Mass Index is an index of body fat that corrects for height. It is a scale that is widely used in studies and generally accepted as accurate, although it is possible to incorrectly label someone who is very muscular as obese.

To calculate your BMI, take your weight in kilograms and divide it by your height in metres squared. (BMI=kg/m2. If you still think of yourself in terms of inches and pounds, don't despair. Divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and multiply the result by 705.

You can use the chart below to see where you stand.

 

Men Women  
Less than 20.7 Less than 19.1 Underweight
20.7 to 26.4 19.1 to 25.8 Normal
26.4 to 27.8 25.8 to 27.3 Marginally overweight
27.8 to 31.1 27.3 to 32.2 Overweight
31.1 to 45.4 32.3 to 44.8 Severe overweight
More than 45.4 More than 44.8 Morbid obesity


Or for an automatic calculation, click here.