Body Mass Index Calculator

Using a calculator for body mass index is an easy way to measure your level of body fat. Body mass index (or BMI) can be measured by applying your weight and height to the BMI formula or by entering those measurements into the calculator. Either of these methods will generate the same BMI results.

Body Mass Index Calculator: An Overview

Research on obesity has shown that body fatness can be measured using body mass index, or BMI for short. Body mass index is a measurement used to describe weight in relation to height. While BMI does not measure body fat directly, it has been shown to correlate closely to direct measures of body fat in most people.
 
The body mass index calculator is used to determine an adult's BMI. For adults, this is interpreted through categories that do not take factors such as sex or age into account. Anyone at least 20 years of age can use the BMI calculator.
 

Calculating Body Mass Index in Adults

To use the adult body mass index calculator, enter your weight and height using metric or English measurements. Click Calculate, and your BMI will appear.
 
    English Metric
Height: feet, inches
Weight: lbs
BMI:
Status:
Normal Range:
 

Interpreting Body Mass Index Calculator Results for Adults

For adults 20 years and older, BMI results are interpreted using standard weight status categories that are the same for all ages and for both men and women. The standard weight status categories associated with BMI ranges for adults are shown in the following table:
 
BMI
Weight Status
Below 18.5
Underweight
18.5-24.9
Normal
25.0-29.9
Overweight
30.0 and Above
Obese
 
It's important to remember that calculating body mass index is just one measure used to assess the risk associated with weight.
 
(Click BMI and Weight for information about other factors healthcare providers consider when determining risks for certain medical conditions related to weight.)
 

A Key Point to Remember When Calculating Your Body Mass Index

The adult body mass index calculator provides only the BMI number and not the BMI age- and sex-specific percentile that is used to interpret BMI and determine the weight category for children and teens. BMI categories for adults should not be used to interpret BMI numbers for children and teens.
 
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Other Articles in This eMedTV Presentation