Body Mass Index Chart

Knowing how to chart your body mass index makes it easy to assess your level of body fat. The chart contains common variations of height and weight measurements, so you don't need to enter height and weight into a formula. This chart makes no distinction based on age, gender, race, or ethnicity; it can be used to determine BMI for people at least 48 inches tall who weigh at least 91 pounds.

Body Mass Index Information

What Is a Body Mass Index Chart?

Research on obesity has shown that a calculation called body mass index (BMI) can be used to measure a person's body fat. BMI does not measure body fat directly, but it does correspond closely to direct measures of body fat in most people.

Body mass index uses a mathematical formula that takes into account both a person's height and weight. A person's body mass index is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters, squared (BMI=kg/m²).

(Click Body Mass Index Formula for the version of the formula that uses pounds and inches.)

To make it easier to calculate BMI, variations of height and weight have been compiled in a table called a body mass index chart. This chart can be used by anyone who is at least 58 inches tall (4'10'') and weighs at least 91 pounds.

(To calculate body mass index for people shorter than 58 inches and/or lighter than 91 pounds -- such as children -- see BMI Formula.)

(Body Mass Index Chart Continued: Page 2)