What is BMI
BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a measurement that uses a person’s height and weight to estimate their body fat and assess their overall leanness or corpulence. It is a widely used tool to determine if an individual has a healthy weight for their height. The BMI value calculated places a person in different categories: underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese, depending on the range it falls into. These BMI ranges can vary by region and age, and may include more specific subcategories such as severely underweight or very severely obese. Although BMI is not a perfect measure of body fat, it serves as a helpful indicator for identifying whether further testing or action may be needed due to potential health risks associated with being underweight or overweight. The table below illustrates the various BMI categories used by the calculator.
BMI Table
The World Health Organization (WHO) provides recommended body weight categories based on BMI values for adults. These guidelines are applicable to both men and women aged 20 and above.
Classification |
BMI range – kg/m2 |
Severe Thinness |
< 16 |
Moderate Thinness |
16 – 17 |
Mild Thinness |
17 – 18.5 |
Normal |
18.5 – 25 |
Overweight |
25 – 30 |
Obese Class I |
30 – 35 |
Obese Class II |
35 – 40 |
Obese Class III |
> 40 |