Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) using your height and weight. Your result is compared to both the WHO's international ranges and the lower ranges used for Indian and South Asian people.
Your height in centimetres is changed to metres, then squared (multiplied by itself).
Your weight in kilograms is divided by that number.
The result is then checked against two sets of health ranges.
BMI: Weight (kg) ÷ Height (m)²
India cutoffs: Normal 18.5 – 22.9, Overweight 23 – 24.9, Obese 25+
WHO cutoffs: Normal 18.5 – 24.9, Overweight 25 – 29.9, Obese 30+
Why does India use different BMI cutoffs?
Studies show that South Asian people tend to have more body fat, and a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease, at a lower BMI than the WHO's international ranges assume. So Indian guidance treats a BMI of 23 or more as overweight, instead of 25.
Is BMI a reliable measure of health?
It is only a rough screening tool. BMI cannot tell the difference between muscle and fat, and does not show where fat is stored on your body. So athletes may show as overweight, while someone with a normal BMI might still carry extra fat around the stomach. Waist size often gives more useful information.
Why doesn't this calculator ask for my sex, when other health calculators do?
BMI uses the same formula and the same health ranges for both men and women — in WHO, CDC and Indian guidelines. So asking for your sex would not change the result at all. What does change between men and women at the same BMI is body composition — how much of your weight is fat versus muscle. That is exactly what our separate Body Fat calculator measures, using different formulas for men and women.
What should I do if my BMI is outside the normal range?
Treat it as a reason to speak with a doctor, not as a diagnosis. A doctor can look at your BMI along with your waist size, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol to get a much clearer picture of your health than one number alone.