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.

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.

How to calculate Body Mass Index

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple calculation using a person’s height and weight. The formula is BMI = kg/m² where kg is a person’s weight in kilograms and m2 is their height in metres squared. This project will help you find your BMI.

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.

Health advice

• Maintaining a healthy weight is important for your heart health.

• Moving more can lower your risk factors for heart disease.

• Eating a healthy diet is the key to heart disease prevention.

• Tracking your heart health stats can help you meet your heart health goals.