Body mass index calculator

At our National Cancer Information Center trained Cancer Information Specialists can answer questions 24 hours a day, every day of the year to empower you with accurate, up-to-date information to help you make educated health decisions. We connect patients, caregivers, and family members with valuable services and resources. Or ask us how you can get involved and support the fight against cancer. Some of the topics we can assist with include: • Referrals to patient-related programs or resources • Donations, website, or event-related assistance • Tobacco-related topics • Volunteer opportunities • Cancer Information For medical questions, we encourage you to review our information with your doctor. Body mass index, or BMI, is one way to look at whether a person is at a healthy weight. BMI is a number based on height and weight. It can be used to place a person in categories ranging from underweight to obese. But BMI doesn’t work well for everybody. There are other things to think about when deciding how much someone should weigh. If you have a BMI outside the normal range, your health care provider might also look at skinfold thickness (a measure of body fat), waist size, evaluations of your diet and family health problems, blood sugar levels, and other factors to find out if your weight might pose a health risk. To learn more about BMI and how extra body weight can affect your risk of cancer, see If you are overweight or obese, even a small weight loss (10% of your current ...

What is body mass index (BMI)? Body mass index (BMI) is a medical screening tool that measures the ratio of your height to your weight to estimate the amount of In most people, BMI correlates to body fat — the higher the number, the more body fat you may have — but High body fat may lead to heart disease, You should not use the standard BMI chart to evaluate a child’s or teenager’s weight. Talk to your child's healthcare provider about the optimum weight range for their age and height. What is BMI used for? Healthcare providers use BMI to help diagnose weight types and as a screening tool for certain health conditions. Diagnosing weight types with BMI In general, the following BMI ranges (in kg/m2) classify different weight types: • Underweight: Less than 18.5. • Optimum range: 18.5 to 24.9. • Overweight: 25 to 29.9. • Class I obesity: 30 to 34.9. • Class II obesity: 35 to 39.9. • Class III obesity: More than 40. BMI isn’t the only tool providers use to classify weight types. Other tools include: • Measuring waist circumference. • Measuring skin thickness using skinfold calipers in certain areas of your body, such as the back of your upper arms and under your shoulder blades. • Screening for health risks with BMI If you have a BMI less than 18.5 (underweight), you may be at higher risk for developing the following conditions: • Malnutrition. • • Weakened • • If you have underweight, your healthcare provider will likely order certain blood tests and other tests to check you...

Doctors use BMI to track your health. But BMI is not an accurate measure of obesity in many people. It may not be accurate for everyone. Body mass index (BMI) is a tool researchers often use to track obesity at the population level. Doctors and other healthcare professionals also use it to assess people’s health. However, the medical community has raised concerns over using BMI as a measurement of obesity and health due to its significant limitations, particularly in assessing the health of Black and Hispanic people, among other populations. Nevertheless, some health organizations recommend that people stay within a certain BMI range to reduce their risk of disease. This article explains BMI and how it relates to women’s health. BMI range Classification less than 16.5 severe underweight less than 18.5 underweight 18.5–24.9 normal weight 25.0–29.9 overweight 30.0–34.9 obesity class I 35.0–39.9 obesity class II 40 or greater obesity class III This calculator can help you determine your BMI, although it is not specifically for women: While a chart can be helpful, BMI is not a one-size-fits-all concept. Doctors may recommend different cutoff points depending on a person’s ethnicity, muscularity, and other factors. White, Black, and Hispanic women BMI does not inherently distinguish between people of different genetic backgrounds. However, as this article will discuss later, different BMI cutoffs have been developed for Asian and South Asian populations. White, Black, and Hispa...

Calculator Use The BMI Calculator finds the body mass index given weight and height. Calculate your BMI and find the BMI weight category for your height. The calculator also finds the normal weight range given your height. Calculate BMI with weight in pounds, stones or kilograms. Enter height in inches, feet and inches, meters or centimeters. BMI Formulas Divide weight by height squared to find BMI. Note that you need to use kg and meters the standard units for the BMI formula are kg and meters. If you need other units of measure the calculator will convert among units for you. In metric units, using kg and meters: \( \text \) BMI = weight ÷ height 2 • In metric units: BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height 2 (meters) • In US units: BMI = weight (lb) ÷ height 2 (inches) * 703 See additional BMI formulas below for accurate calculations in metric or imperial units. What is BMI? The body mass index or BMI is a ratio of mass to height. It is calculated as kg per square meter or pounds per square inch of height. Numeric BMI values correspond to weight categories including underweight, normal, overweight and obese. BMI is used as an indicator of the relative healthiness of a person. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recognize that people who are overweight or underweight are at higher risk for certain health conditions. BMI also enables health professionals to discuss bodyweight objectively with their patients. Calculate Adult BMI The CDC and WHO ...

BMI is calculated by dividing weight by height. It’s one way healthcare providers assess the health risks associated with weight—both too little or too much. Body Mass Index and Health Excess body fat has been linked to increased risk of a number of health issues. BMI scores in the overweight and obese categories can indicate that a person is at higher risk of certain diseases, such as: Pros and Cons of BMI On the plus side, BMI is a simple way to estimate body fat. It’s convenient, inexpensive, and can be used routinely. As a result, it’s an easy way to identify someone who may have a health risk worth looking into. It’s also used universally by medical professionals in research around the world. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such as body composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes. • Waist circumference: Fat that is carried around the middle of your body can increase your risk of Risk increases for women with waist measurements greater than 35 inches, and for men with waist measurements greater than 40 inches. A number of experts now suggest waist circumference is a better measure for all people, but may be particularly helpful in evaluating health risks for people of color. • Waist-to-hip ratio: Dividing your waist circumference ...