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Learn about Body Mass Index (BMI)

For adults, a healthy weight is defined as the appropriate weight in relation to height. This ratio of weight to height is known as the body mass index (BMI). People who are overweight might have too much body weight for their height. People who are obese almost always have a large amount of body fat in relation to their height. There are exceptions, of course. Big athletes with lots of muscle might have a BMI over 30.0 but would not be considered obese from the perspective of health risk.

Use a BMI calculator for adults and learn your BMI by entering your height and weight. Or use the tables below to learn your BMI.

For children and teens, overweight is defined differently than it is for adults. Because children are still growing, and boys and girls develop at different rates, BMIs for children 2 to 20 years old are determined by comparing their weight and height against growth charts that take their age and gender into account.

A child's "BMI-for-age" shows how his or her BMI compares with other boys or girls of the same age. A child or teen who is between the 85th and 95th percentile on the growth chart is considered at risk of overweight. A child or teen who is at the 95th percentile or above is considered overweight.

Ask your family doctor, pediatrician, or other health care provider about your child's BMI-for-age. For more information about BMI-for-age and growth charts for children, visit www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/bmi-for-age.htm.

BMI Tables for Adults

To use these tables, find the appropriate height in the left-hand column labeled Height. Move across to a given weight (in pounds). The number at the top of the column is the BMI at that height and weight. Pounds have been rounded off. Remember, these charts apply only to adults.

Select the PDF version for better printing

 

Table #1: BMI 19–27
BMI
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Height
(inches)		 Body Weight (pounds)
58 91 96 100 105 110 115 119 124 129
59 94 99 104 109 114 119 124 128 133
60 97 102 107 112 118 123 128 133 138
61 100 106 111 116 122 127 132 137 143
62 104 109 115 120 126 131 136 142 147
63 107 113 118 124 130 135 141 146 152
64 110 116 122 128 134 140 145 151 157
65 114 120 126 132 138 144 150 156 162
66 118 124 130 136 142 148 155 161 167
67 121 127 134 140 146 153 159 166 172
68 125 131 138 144 151 158 164 171 177
69 128 135 142 149 155 162 169 176 182
70 132 139 146 153 160 167 174 181 188
71 136 143 150 157 165 172 179 186 193
72 140 147 154 162 169 177 184 191 199
73 144 151 159 166 174 182 189 197 204
74 148 155 163 171 179 186 194 202 210
75 152 160 168 176 184 192 200 208 216
76 156 164 172 180 189 197 205 213 221

 

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Table #2: BMI 28–35
BMI
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Height
(inches)		 Body Weight (pounds)
58 134 138 143 148 153 158 162 167
59 138 143 148 153 158 163 168 173
60 143 148 153 158 163 168 174 179
61 148 153 158 164 169 174 180 185
62 153 158 164 169 175 180 186 191
63 158 163 169 175 180 186 191 197
64 163 169 174 180 186 192 197 204
65 168 174 180 186 192 198 204 210
66 173 179 186 192 198 204 210 216
67 178 185 191 198 204 211 217 223
68 184 190 197 203 210 216 223 230
69 189 196 203 209 216 223 230 236
70 195 202 209 216 222 229 236 243
71 200 208 215 222 229 236 243 250
72 206 213 221 228 235 242 250 258
73 212 219 227 235 242 250 257 265
74 218 225 233 241 249 256 264 272
75 224 232 240 248 256 264 272 279
76 230 238 246 254 263 271 279 287

 

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Table #3: BMI 36–44
BMI
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
Height
(inches)		 Body Weight (pounds)
58 172 177 181 186 191 196 201 205 210
59 178 183 188 193 198 203 208 212 217
60 184 189 194 199 204 209 215 220 225
61 190 195 201 206 211 217 222 227 232
62 196 202 207 213 218 224 229 235 240
63 203 208 214 220 225 231 237 242 248
64 209 215 221 227 232 238 244 250 256
65 216 222 228 234 240 246 252 258 264
66 223 229 235 241 247 253 260 266 272
67 230 236 242 249 255 261 268 274 280
68 236 243 249 256 262 269 276 282 289
69 243 250 257 263 270 277 284 291 297
70 250 257 264 271 278 285 292 299 306
71 257 265 272 279 286 293 301 308 315
72 265 272 279 287 294 302 309 316 324
73 272 280 288 295 302 310 318 325 333
74 280 287 295 303 311 319 326 334 342
75 287 295 303 311 319 327 335 343 351
76 295 304 312 320 328 336 344 353 361

 

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Table #4: BMI 45–54
BMI
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
Height
(inches)		 Body Weight (pounds)
58 215 220 224 229 234 239 244 248 253 258
59 222 227 232 237 242 247 252 257 262 267
60 230 235 240 245 250 255 261 266 271 276
61 238 243 248 254 259 264 269 275 280 285
62 246 251 256 262 267 273 278 284 289 295
63 254 259 265 270 278 282 287 293 299 304
64 262 267 273 279 285 291 296 302 308 314
65 270 276 282 288 294 300 306 312 318 324
66 278 284 291 297 303 309 315 322 328 334
67 287 293 299 306 312 319 325 331 338 344
68 295 302 308 315 322 328 335 341 348 354
69 304 311 318 324 331 338 345 351 358 365
70 313 320 327 334 341 348 355 362 369 376
71 322 329 338 343 351 358 365 372 379 386
72 331 338 346 353 361 368 375 383 390 397
73 340 348 355 363 371 378 386 393 401 408
74 350 358 365 373 381 389 396 404 412 420
75 359 367 375 383 391 399 407 415 423 431
76 369 377 385 394 402 410 418 426 435 443

 

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