Calculate your Body Mass Index and see where you fall on the BMI scale. Supports metric and imperial units.
⚠️ BMI is a screening tool, not a diagnostic. Consult a healthcare professional for advice.
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The standard WHO BMI categories — underweight below 18.5, normal 18.5–24.9, overweight 25–29.9, obese above 30 — were developed primarily from studies on European populations. Multiple large-scale studies on South Asian populations, including research by AIIMS, ICMR, and the Consensus Statement for the South Asian Region, have found that Indians and other South Asians develop metabolic risk (diabetes, cardiovascular disease) at significantly lower BMI values than Caucasians.
The government of India's Ministry of Health and the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia recommend these modified cutoffs for Indian adults. Practically, if your BMI is between 23 and 25, consult a doctor — what's "normal" by Western standards may be medically concerning for Indians.
BMI measures weight relative to height but does not distinguish between muscle mass, bone density, and fat. A professional athlete or bodybuilder may have a BMI above 25 with very low body fat. Conversely, a "normal BMI" person with very little muscle and high abdominal fat — called "normal weight obesity" or "skinny fat" — may have significant metabolic risk not captured by BMI alone.
A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal or healthy weight. Below 18.5 is underweight, 25–29.9 is overweight, and 30 or above is classified as obese according to WHO guidelines.
BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height² (m). For example, a person weighing 70 kg and 1.75 m tall has BMI = 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) = 22.9, which is in the Normal range.
BMI is a general screening tool, not a diagnostic measure. It can overestimate body fat in athletes (who have high muscle mass) and underestimate it in older adults who have lost muscle. Consult a doctor for a complete health assessment.
The healthy BMI range (18.5–24.9) applies to both men and women. However, women naturally carry slightly more body fat than men, so some health professionals use adjusted ranges. A BMI of 21–23 is often considered ideal for women.
BMI Prime is your BMI divided by 25 (the upper limit of normal). A BMI Prime of 1.0 or less means you are in or below the normal range. Values above 1.0 indicate overweight or obese.