BMI
measures your weight in relation to your height, and is closely
associated with measures of body fat. You can calculate your
BMI using this formula:
For example, for someone who
is 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs 220 pounds, the calculation
would look like this:
A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered
healthy. A person with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight,
and a person with a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese.
You can also find your weight
group on the chart below. The chart applies to all adults. The
higher weights in the healthy range apply to people with more
muscle and bone, such as men. Even within the healthy range,
weight gain could increase your risk for health problems.
To use this table, find the appropriate height in the left-hand column labeled Height. Move across to a given weight. The number at the top of the column is the BMI at that height and weight. Pounds have been rounded off.
BMI |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
33 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
37 |
38 |
39 |
40 |
Weight
(Pounds) |
Height (Inches) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
58 |
91 |
96 |
100 |
105 |
110 |
115 |
119 |
124 |
129 |
134 |
138 |
143 |
148 |
153 |
158 |
162 |
167 |
172 |
177 |
181 |
186 |
191 |
59 |
94 |
99 |
104 |
109 |
114 |
119 |
124 |
128 |
133 |
138 |
143 |
148 |
153 |
158 |
163 |
168 |
173 |
178 |
183 |
188 |
193 |
198 |
60 |
97 |
102 |
107 |
112 |
118 |
123 |
128 |
133 |
138 |
143 |
148 |
153 |
158 |
163 |
168 |
174 |
179 |
184 |
189 |
194 |
199 |
204 |
61 |
100 |
106 |
111 |
116 |
122 |
127 |
132 |
137 |
143 |
148 |
153 |
158 |
164 |
169 |
174 |
180 |
185 |
190 |
195 |
201 |
206 |
211 |
62 |
104 |
109 |
115 |
120 |
126 |
131 |
136 |
142 |
147 |
153 |
158 |
164 |
169 |
175 |
180 |
186 |
191 |
196 |
202 |
207 |
213 |
218 |
63 |
107 |
113 |
118 |
124 |
130 |
135 |
141 |
146 |
152 |
158 |
163 |
169 |
175 |
180 |
186 |
191 |
197 |
203 |
208 |
214 |
220 |
225 |
64 |
110 |
116 |
122 |
128 |
134 |
140 |
145 |
151 |
157 |
163 |
169 |
174 |
180 |
186 |
192 |
197 |
204 |
209 |
215 |
221 |
227 |
232 |
65 |
114 |
120 |
126 |
132 |
138 |
144 |
150 |
156 |
162 |
168 |
174 |
180 |
186 |
192 |
198 |
204 |
210 |
216 |
222 |
228 |
234 |
240 |
66 |
118 |
124 |
130 |
136 |
142 |
148 |
155 |
161 |
167 |
173 |
179 |
186 |
192 |
198 |
204 |
210 |
216 |
223 |
229 |
235 |
241 |
247 |
67 |
121 |
127 |
134 |
140 |
146 |
153 |
159 |
166 |
172 |
178 |
185 |
191 |
198 |
204 |
211 |
217 |
223 |
230 |
236 |
242 |
249 |
255 |
68 |
125 |
131 |
138 |
144 |
151 |
158 |
164 |
171 |
177 |
184 |
190 |
197 |
204 |
210 |
216 |
223 |
230 |
236 |
243 |
249 |
256 |
262 |
69 |
128 |
135 |
142 |
149 |
155 |
162 |
169 |
176 |
182 |
189 |
196 |
203 |
210 |
216 |
223 |
230 |
236 |
243 |
250 |
257 |
263 |
270 |
70 |
132 |
139 |
146 |
153 |
160 |
167 |
174 |
181 |
188 |
195 |
202 |
209 |
216 |
222 |
229 |
236 |
243 |
250 |
257 |
264 |
271 |
278 |
71 |
136 |
143 |
150 |
157 |
165 |
172 |
179 |
186 |
193 |
200 |
208 |
215 |
222 |
229 |
236 |
243 |
250 |
257 |
265 |
272 |
279 |
286 |
72 |
140 |
147 |
154 |
162 |
169 |
177 |
184 |
191 |
199 |
206 |
213 |
221 |
228 |
235 |
242 |
250 |
258 |
265 |
272 |
279 |
287 |
294 |
73 |
144 |
151 |
159 |
166 |
174 |
182 |
189 |
197 |
204 |
212 |
219 |
227 |
235 |
242 |
250 |
257 |
265 |
272 |
280 |
288 |
295 |
302 |
74 |
148 |
155 |
163 |
171 |
179 |
186 |
194 |
202 |
210 |
218 |
225 |
233 |
241 |
249 |
256 |
264 |
272 |
280 |
287 |
295 |
303 |
311 |
75 |
152 |
160 |
168 |
176 |
184 |
192 |
200 |
208 |
216 |
224 |
232 |
240 |
248 |
256 |
264 |
272 |
279 |
287 |
295 |
303 |
311 |
319 |
76 |
156 |
164 |
172 |
180 |
189 |
197 |
205 |
213 |
221 |
230 |
238 |
246 |
254 |
263 |
271 |
279 |
287 |
295 |
304 |
312 |
320 |
328 |
|
Source: Clinical Guidelines on the Identification,
Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults,
National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute, September 1998.
* Without Shoes
**Without Clothes
Because BMI does not show the
difference between fat and muscle, it does not always accurately
predict when weight could lead to health problems. For example,
someone with a lot of muscle (such as a body builder) may have
a BMI in the unhealthy range, but still be healthy and have
little risk of developing diabetes or having a heart attack.
BMI also may not accurately reflect body fatness
in people who are very short (under 5 feet) and in older people,
who tend to lose muscle mass as they age. And it may not be
the best predictor of weight-related health problems among some
racial and ethnic groups such as African American and Hispanic/Latino
American women. But for most people, BMI is a reliable way to
tell if your weight is putting your health at risk.
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