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BMI Calculator
US Units Metric Units Other Units Result
Age 19 ages: 2 - 120 BMI = 18.5 kg/m2 (4%, Underweight)

Gender Male Female

Height 173 cm

85
%9
Weight 55.25 kg
BMI = 18.5
5%

5%
Calculate Clear
Weight-for-age percentile: 6% Search
Height-for-age percentile: 31%
Healthy BMI range: 18.7 - 26.3 kg/m2 Fitness and Health Calculators
Healthy weight for the height:
56 kg - 78.7 kg BMI Calorie

Gain 0.8 kg to reach a BMI of 18.7 kg/m2. Body Fat BMR

Macro Ideal Weight
Ponderal Index: 10.7 kg/m3
Pregnancy Pregnancy Weight Gain
Pregnancy Conception Due Date
More Fitness and Health
The Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator can be used to calculate BMI value and Pace Calculators
corresponding weight status while taking age into consideration. Use the "Metric Units" tab Financial | Fitness and Health | Math | Other
for the International System of Units or the "Other Units" tab to convert units into either US
or metric units. Note that the calculator also computes the Ponderal Index in addition to
BMI, both of which are discussed below in detail.

BMI introduction

BMI is a measurement of a person's leanness or corpulence based on their height and

weight, and is intended to quantify tissue mass. It is widely used as a general indicator of
whether a person has a healthy body weight for their height. Specifically, the value
obtained from the calculation of BMI is used to categorize whether a person is
underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese depending on what range the value
falls between. These ranges of BMI vary based on factors such as region and age, and
are sometimes further divided into subcategories such as severely underweight or very
severely obese. Being overweight or underweight can have significant health effects, so
while BMI is an imperfect measure of healthy body weight, it is a useful indicator of
whether any additional testing or action is required. Refer to the table below to see the
different categories based on BMI that are used by the calculator.

BMI table for adults

This is the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended body weight based on BMI
values for adults. It is used for both men and women, age 20 or older.

Classification BMI range - kg/m2

Severe Thinness < 16
Moderate Thinness 16 - 17
Mild Thinness 17 - 18.5
Normal 18.5 - 25
Overweight 25 - 30
Obese Class I 30 - 35
Obese Class II 35 - 40
Obese Class III > 40

BMI chart for adults

This is a graph of BMI categories based on the World Health Organization data. The
dashed lines represent subdivisions within a major categorization.

BMI table for children and teens, age 2-20

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends BMI categorization
for children and teens between age 2 and 20.

Category Percentile Range

Underweight <5%
Healthy weight 5% - 85%
At risk of overweight 85% - 95%
Overweight >95%

BMI chart for children and teens, age 2-20

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) BMI-for-age percentiles growth
charts.
Chart for boys
Chart for girls

Risks associated with being overweight

Being overweight increases the risk of a number of serious diseases and health
conditions. Below is a list of said risks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC):

High blood pressure

Higher levels of LDL cholesterol, which is widely considered "bad cholesterol," lower
levels of HDL cholesterol, considered to be good cholesterol in moderation, and high
levels of triglycerides
Type II diabetes
Coronary heart disease
Stroke
Gallbladder disease
Osteoarthritis, a type of joint disease caused by breakdown of joint cartilage
Sleep apnea and breathing problems
Certain cancers (endometrial, breast, colon, kidney, gallbladder, liver)
Low quality of life
Mental illnesses such as clinical depression, anxiety, and others
Body pains and difficulty with certain physical functions
Generally, an increased risk of mortality compared to those with a healthy BMI

As can be seen from the list above, there are numerous negative, in some cases fatal,
outcomes that may result from being overweight. Generally, a person should try to
maintain a BMI below 25 kg/m2, but ideally should consult their doctor to determine
whether or not they need to make any changes to their lifestyle in order to be healthier.

Risks associated with being underweight

Being underweight has its own associated risks, listed below:

Malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, anemia (lowered ability to carry blood vessels)

Osteoporosis, a disease that causes bone weakness, increasing the risk of breaking
a bone
A decrease in immune function
Growth and development issues, particularly in children and teenagers
Possible reproductive issues for women due to hormonal imbalances that can
disrupt the menstrual cycle. Underweight women also have a higher chance of
miscarriage in the first trimester
Potential complications as a result of surgery
Generally, an increased risk of mortality compared to those with a healthy BMI

In some cases, being underweight can be a sign of some underlying condition or disease
such as anorexia nervosa, which has its own risks. Consult your doctor if you think you or
someone you know is underweight, particularly if the reason for being underweight does
not seem obvious.

Limitations of BMI

Although BMI is a widely used and useful indicator of healthy body weight, it does have its
limitations. BMI is only an estimate that cannot take body composition into account. Due to
a wide variety of body types as well as distribution of muscle, bone mass, and fat, BMI
should be considered along with other measurements rather than being used as the sole
method for determining a person's healthy body weight.
In adults:
BMI cannot be fully accurate because it is a measure of excess body weight, rather than
excess body fat. BMI is further influenced by factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, muscle
mass, body fat, and activity level, among others. For example, an older person who is
considered a healthy weight, but is completely inactive in their daily life may have
significant amounts of excess body fat even though they are not heavy. This would be
considered unhealthy, while a younger person with higher muscle composition of the
same BMI would be considered healthy. In athletes, particularly bodybuilders who would
be considered overweight due to muscle being heavier than fat, it is entirely possible that
they are actually at a healthy weight for their body composition. Generally, according to
the CDC:

Older adults tend to have more body fat than younger adults with the same BMI.
Women tend to have more body fat than men for an equivalent BMI.
Muscular individuals and highly trained athletes may have higher BMIs due to large
muscle mass.

In children and adolescents:

The same factors that limit the efficacy of BMI for adults can also apply to children and
adolescents. Additionally, height and level of sexual maturation can influence BMI and
body fat among children. BMI is a better indicator of excess body fat for obese children
than it is for overweight children, whose BMI could be a result of increased levels of either
fat or fat-free mass (all body components except for fat, which includes water, organs,
muscle, etc.). In thin children, the difference in BMI can also be due to fat-free mass.
That being said, BMI is fairly indicative of body fat for 90-95% of the population, and can
effectively be used along with other measures to help determine an individual's healthy
body weight.

BMI formula

Below are the equations used for calculating BMI in the International System of Units (SI)
and the US customary system (USC) using a 5'10", 160-pound individual as an example:

USC Units:
mass (lbs) 160
BMI = 703× = 703× 2 = 23.0
height2 (in) 70

SI, Metric Units:

mass (kg) 72.57
BMI = = = 23.0
height2 (m) 1.7782

BMI Prime

BMI prime is the ratio of a person's measured BMI to the upper limit of BMI that is
considered "normal," by institutions such as the WHO and the CDC. Though it may differ
in some countries, such as those in Asia, this upper limit, which will be referred to as
BMIupper is 25 kg/m2.

The BMI prime formula is:

BMI
BMI prime =
25
Since BMI prime is a ratio of two BMI values, BMI prime is a dimensionless value. A
person who has a BMI prime less than 0.74 is classified as underweight; from 0.74 to 1 is
classified as normal; greater than 1 is classified as overweight; and greater than 1.2 is
classified as obese. The table below shows a person's weight classification based on their
BMI prime:

Classification BMI BMI Prime

Severe Thinness < 16 < 0.64
Moderate Thinness 16 - 17 0.64 - 0.68
Mild Thinness 17 - 18.5 0.68 - 0.74
Normal 18.5 - 25 0.74 - 1
Overweight 25 - 30 1 - 1.2
Obese Class I 30 - 35 1.2- 1.4
Obese Class II 35 - 40 1.4 - 1.6
Obese Class III > 40 > 1.6
BMI prime allows us to make a quick assessment of how much a person's BMI differs from
the upper limit of BMI that is considered normal. It also allows for comparisons between
groups of people who have different upper BMI limits.

Ponderal Index

The Ponderal Index (PI) is similar to BMI in that it measures the leanness or corpulence of
a person based on their height and weight. The main difference between the PI and BMI is
the cubing rather than squaring of the height in the formula (provided below). While BMI
can be a useful tool when considering large populations, it is not reliable for determining
leanness or corpulence in individuals. Although the PI suffers from similar considerations,
the PI is more reliable for use with very tall or short individuals, while BMI tends to record
uncharacteristically high or low body fat levels for those on the extreme ends of the height
and weight spectrum. Below is the equation for computing the PI of an individual using
USC, again using a 5'10", 160-pound individual as an example:

USC Units:
height (in) 70
PI = = = 12.9
∛mass (lbs) ∛160

SI, Metric Units:

mass (kg) 72.57
PI = = = 12.9
height3 (m) 1.7783

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