BMI (Body Mass Index)

Figure your BMI using English or Metric systems on this page

Body Mass Index or BMI is a tool for indicating weight status and risk assessment for certain diseases associated with obesity in adults. It is a measure of weight for height. BMI provides a more accurate measure of total body fat than the assessment of weight alone. It is just an estimate though and is not used to determine a person’s actual percentage of body fat. It is a good indicator to categorize weight in terms of what is healthy and unhealthy. It is not reliable to use for children, pregnant women, body builders, the elderly, and for adults under 5 feet tall. For instance, A bodybuilder with large muscles and little extra body fat may have the same BMI as a sedentary person who has more body fat because BMI is calculated using only weight and height. BMI alone does not offer a diagnosis. It is but one of many possible risk factors for disease. It is important to talk with your doctor about other risk factors such as:

• Diet
• Physical Activity
• Waist Circumference
• Blood Pressure
• Blood Sugar Level
• Cholesterol Level
• Family History of Disease
• Smoking and other Addictions

For adults over 20 years old, BMI falls into one of the categories in the following table:

Classification of Overweight & Obesity by BMI, Waist Circumference, & Associated Disease Risk
Adopted by the NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative Expert Panel on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults and endorsed by leading organizations of health professionals.

Calculate your BMI - English Calculation:
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Please use caution when considering your BMI. The scale is but one possible tool that in some cases can help us talk about one aspect of our fitness level. The Body Mass Index does not account well for the wide and wonderful variations in body type. A person who is active and overweight can in fact be quite fit and even more healthy than, for instance, a person who is slender and leading a sedentary lifestyle or who smokes. Severe and morbid obesity are very serious health risks, but the scientific evidence of health risks levels for people who are in the overweight and mildly obese categories is less clear and subject to debate. Personally, I support feeling good, healthy, and fit, over looking good in conformity with fleeting and ever changing fashionable body types. Becoming active and eating primarily high quality nutritious foods may be more important goals than losing weight—certainly will lead towards higher fitness levels, vitality, and quality of life, than any fad diet ever did.

Metric and English number converter.

This web site is for informational purposes only and is not meant to serve as medical advice or to replace consultation with a professional dietician, nutritionist, physician, or mental health professional. None of the information presented within this web site is meant to diagnose, prescribe, or to administer to any physical or emotional ailments or conditions.