BMI is a screening estimate for adults, not a diagnosis or medical advice. If you are worried about your weight or health, talk to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Enter your height and weight in the BMI calculator, in cm and kg or feet and pounds, to see your BMI, its category and the healthy weight range for your height.
Work out your BMIAdult BMI categories
The World Health Organization defines overweight as a BMI of 25 or more and obesity as 30 or more, with underweight below 18.5. The US CDC uses the same cut-offs and splits obesity into three classes:
| BMI | Category |
|---|---|
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 to 24.9 | Healthy weight |
| 25.0 to 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30.0 to 34.9 | Obesity, class 1 |
| 35.0 to 39.9 | Obesity, class 2 |
| 40.0 or more | Obesity, class 3 (severe) |
These are for adults. The CDC’s adult categories apply from age 20; for children and teens, BMI is compared with growth charts for the same age and sex instead.
Is the BMI chart different for men and women?
No. The WHO, CDC and NHS all use one set of adult cut-offs for both men and women, so one chart covers everyone over 20. What differs is the body behind the number: at the same BMI, two people can carry different amounts of muscle and fat, and in different places.
That’s why the NHS also suggests a simple check that works for men and women alike: keep your waist measurement to less than half your height. Someone 170 cm tall would aim for a waist under 85 cm.
BMI table in cm and kg
Find your height, then the weight range you fall in. The ranges use BMI rounded to one decimal place, the same way the calculator shows it.
| Height | Healthy (18.5 to 24.9) | Overweight (25 to 29.9) | Obesity (30+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 cm | 41.6 to 56.1 kg | 56.2 to 67.3 kg | 67.4 kg or more |
| 155 cm | 44.4 to 59.9 kg | 60.0 to 71.9 kg | 72.0 kg or more |
| 160 cm | 47.3 to 63.8 kg | 63.9 to 76.6 kg | 76.7 kg or more |
| 165 cm | 50.3 to 67.9 kg | 68.0 to 81.5 kg | 81.6 kg or more |
| 170 cm | 53.4 to 72.1 kg | 72.2 to 86.5 kg | 86.6 kg or more |
| 175 cm | 56.6 to 76.4 kg | 76.5 to 91.7 kg | 91.8 kg or more |
| 180 cm | 59.8 to 80.8 kg | 80.9 to 97.0 kg | 97.1 kg or more |
| 185 cm | 63.2 to 85.3 kg | 85.4 to 102.5 kg | 102.6 kg or more |
| 190 cm | 66.7 to 90.0 kg | 90.1 to 108.1 kg | 108.2 kg or more |
Below the healthy range for your height is a BMI under 18.5, which is classed as underweight.
BMI table in feet and pounds
| Height | Healthy (18.5 to 24.9) | Overweight (25 to 29.9) | Obesity (30+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 10 in | 89 to 119 lb | 120 to 143 lb | 144 lb or more |
| 5 ft 0 in | 95 to 127 lb | 128 to 153 lb | 154 lb or more |
| 5 ft 2 in | 101 to 136 lb | 137 to 163 lb | 164 lb or more |
| 5 ft 4 in | 108 to 145 lb | 146 to 174 lb | 175 lb or more |
| 5 ft 6 in | 115 to 154 lb | 155 to 185 lb | 186 lb or more |
| 5 ft 8 in | 122 to 164 lb | 165 to 196 lb | 197 lb or more |
| 5 ft 10 in | 129 to 173 lb | 174 to 208 lb | 209 lb or more |
| 6 ft 0 in | 137 to 183 lb | 184 to 220 lb | 221 lb or more |
| 6 ft 2 in | 144 to 194 lb | 195 to 233 lb | 234 lb or more |
Pounds are rounded to whole numbers. If your height falls between two rows, the calculator gives the exact figure.
Working out BMI yourself
BMI = weight in kg ÷ (height in m × height in m)
167 cm and 62 kg: 1.67 × 1.67 = 2.7889, and 62 ÷ 2.7889 = 22.2
In pounds and inches, multiply by 703:
BMI = 703 × weight in lb ÷ (height in inches × height in inches)
5 ft 11 in (71 in) and 195 lb: 703 × 195 ÷ (71 × 71) = 137,085 ÷ 5,041 = 27.2
To find the healthy weight range for a height, run it backwards: multiply the height in metres squared by 18.5 and by 24.9. At 1.67 m that’s 2.7889 × 18.5 = 51.6 kg up to 2.7889 × 24.9 = 69.4 kg.
Lower cut-offs for some groups
The NHS says people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds have a higher risk of some health problems at a lower BMI. For these groups it uses:
| BMI | NHS category for these groups |
|---|---|
| 23 to 27.4 | Overweight |
| 27.5 or more | Obesity |
On that scale, someone 170 cm tall would be in the overweight range from about 66.5 kg rather than 72.2 kg. The calculator shows the standard WHO categories, so keep this in mind if it applies to you.
What BMI can’t tell you
The CDC describes BMI as a screening measure. It doesn’t measure body fat directly, can’t tell fat from muscle and bone, and says nothing about where fat is carried. In practice:
- Very muscular people can show as overweight while carrying little fat.
- Older adults who have lost muscle can show a healthy BMI while carrying more fat than it suggests.
- It doesn’t apply in pregnancy, and the adult chart doesn’t apply under age 20.
A doctor looks at BMI together with waist size, blood pressure, blood tests, medical history and how you live. Use the number as a starting point for that conversation, not a verdict.
Sources
- World Health Organization: Obesity and overweight fact sheet. Overweight is BMI 25 or more, obesity 30 or more
- WHO Global Health Observatory: Body mass index. Underweight below 18.5
- CDC: Adult BMI categories. Categories and obesity classes for adults 20 and older
- CDC: About body mass index. What BMI does and doesn’t measure
- NHS: Obesity. Lower thresholds for some ethnic groups
- NHS: Obesity, diagnosis. Waist less than half your height