Essential Takeaways:
- Calculate your BMI instantly with our height and weight calculator (metric and imperial measurements)
- Learn the standard BMI ranges
- Discover WHO’s detailed classifications, including different obesity classes and international variations
- Understand BMI limitations for athletes and muscular individuals
- See how different countries like Japan and Singapore adapt BMI ranges for their populations
- Get specific action plans for each BMI category to improve your health and fitness
- Find out why waist measurements may be a better indicator of health than BMI alone
BMI Calcualtor:
N.B. For an explanation of Body Mass Index and a discussion about its limitations and alternative weight measurement calculations see the section below the action plans. If you are here to ask “am I overweight?”, please take your height and weight measurements and use the calculator or chart before asking in the comments below – thanks![adinserter block=”5″]
BMI Action Plans:
Below 18.5 Underweight
If your BMI is less that 18.5 it is a strong indicator that you are underweight. To put on weight the only healthy method is to increase calorie intake and exercise more. A low body weight indicated a lack of healthy muscle tissue. Ensure that your diet is well balanced and consider increase protein intake to aid muscle growth.
Start exercising a few times a week with a combination of cardio workouts (running, swimming, sports), bodyweight circuit training workouts and fitness classes.
You need to eat more, workout more and build some muscle. See also the articles about protein and weight training.
18.5 – 24.9 Normal
A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 indicated that you are at a healthy weight. Well done, you are doing just fine. However, you may not be healthy, look to improve your diet and take regular exercise.
A healthy body weight is not always a fit and healthy body. If you are not fit and consuming too few calories then you may still be lacking in some essential nutrition as well as setting yourself up for longer term problems due to inactivity.
25.0 – 29.9 Overweight
A BMI of 25 to 29.9 suggests that you are overweight and are probably developing some excess fat. Unless you have built up a lot of muscle mass in recent years then there is a very good change that you need change your diet and exercise more to start burning off excess fat.
To lose weight you need to combine healthy diet and regular fitness activities. You do not need to join a gym although it can help. We have many suggestions for home fitness workouts and also advice on how to eat healthy. You may also want to consider following a weight loss plan. If you are looking for an effective diet solution then take a look at our Low GI Diet eBook.
30.0 + Obese
A BMI of over 30 indicates that you are obese. You really have to make some changes. You need to take urgent action to start losing fat and improving your fitness. Total lifestyle change is required. If you have not exercised for a long time then start easy with our walking for fitness plan and then move on to more intensive forms of fitness training.
Also read up on the basics of a healthy diet and start making changes to your diet to improve quality and reduce quantity. Also consider a low GI diet which will help you to control blood sugars and lose weight – Low GI Diet eBook.
Limitations of BMI
What does it mean to be overweight? Can we really calculate how overweight a person is? There are a few methods to determine whether or not you are overweight and while none are perfect they do all provide a good indication of whether or not you are healthy.
Body Mass Index tool is still the most commonly used calculation because it is so easy to measure – you just need to know your height and weight.
However, BMI does not take into consideration muscle:fat ratios, so male athletes can sometimes appear overweight on the scale while women with very little muscle mass may appear a “normal” weight when they are actually carrying too much fat.
For example, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s BMI was around 35 – based on a height of 178 cm and mass of 113 kg. He is certainly not obese or overweight.
Health professionals also use waist measurement, including waist-to-hip ratio, to determine if a person is carrying too much fat.
However, for simplicity we shall provide you with a body mass index calculator (just below this explanation).
We have also added a chart to provide a better visualization of obesity levels. At the end of the article there are also note on genetic / racial variations that should be considered.
What Is Body Mass Index (BMI)?
Body mass index (BMI) is a statistical measure of the weight of a person scaled according to height. It is a guide to how overweight or underweight a person is, but it should not be used in isolation to diagnose a weight problem.
While it can give a good answer to your question “Am I Overweight?“, it cannot provide a totally accurate answer is some circumstances – read below to learn more.
Many bodybuilders and athletes would be considered overweight according to the BMI calculation, as BMI does not take into account muscle mass, just total mass. As muscle is denser that fat, very muscular people can show a high BMI even though they are of a healthy weight.
It is generally considered that waist circumference is a better measure of how overweight a person is.
So to be healthy you really need to try to lose your excess fat and get a flatter stomach, or at least get your waist below 36 inches. However, BMI is still a good indication of whether or not you are overweight.
BMI Chart
The chart below provides a visual guide to BMI. Draw a line from your weight (in pounds at the top or kilos at the bottom) to your height (meters on the left or feet/inches on the right) and where the lines cross is your BMI. If you are in the yellow zone you are a healthy weight.
Please see below for some International variations on this scale and updated sub-categories from the World Health Organization.
World Health Organization New BMI Classification
The WHO have now provided more detailed classifications for BMI.
The International Classification of adult underweight, overweight and obesity according to BMI
| Classification | BMI(kg/m2) | |
| Principal cut-off points | Additional cut-off points | |
| Underweight | <18.50 | <18.50 |
| Severe thinness | <16.00 | <16.00 |
| Moderate thinness | 16.00 – 16.99 | 16.00 – 16.99 |
| Mild thinness | 17.00 – 18.49 | 17.00 – 18.49 |
| Normal range | 18.50 – 24.99 | 18.50 – 22.99 |
| 23.00 – 24.99 | ||
| Overweight | ≥25.00 | ≥25.00 |
| Pre-obese | 25.00 – 29.99 | 25.00 – 27.49 |
| 27.50 – 29.99 | ||
| Obese | ≥30.00 | ≥30.00 |
| Obese class I | 30.00 – 34.99 | 30.00 – 32.49 |
| 32.50 – 34.99 | ||
| Obese class II | 35.00 – 39.99 | 35.00 – 37.49 |
| 37.50 – 39.99 | ||
| Obese class III | ≥40.00 | ≥40.00 |
Source: Adapted from WHO, 1995, WHO, 2000 and WHO 2004.
Class 3 Obese is more commonly known as morbidly obese. When someone reaches a BMI of over 40 it becomes very likely that they will develop chronic health conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease, plus also suffer from reduced mobility and a much poorer quality of life.
Many Class 3 individuals become house bound and suffer from depression which makes changes lifestyle and dietary habits next to impossible.
International BMI Variations
Many countries have changed the scale to suit the demographics of their people. All units in kg/m2.
Japan and Hong Kong
Japan and Hong Kong have lowered the thresholds for being overweight and obese as follows:
- Normal: 18.5 to 22.9
- Overweight: 23.0 to 24.9
- Obese 25.0: above
Singapore
Singapore has added an additional category to classify the very underweight – Emaciation. They also make a BMI of over 40 officially morbidly obese;
- Emaciation: 14.9 or less
- Underweight: 15 to 18.4
- Normal: 18.5 to 22.9
- Overweight: 23 to 27.5
- Obese: 27.6 to 40
- Morbidly Obese: greater than 40
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References and Further Resources on BMI
- BMI classification – World Health Organisation.
- “Big fat beat up” by Lousie Staley. IPA Review, Institute of Public Affairs (pdf file).
- “Adjusting athletes’ body mass index to better reflect adiposity in epidemiological research.” by Nevill AM, Winter EM, Ingham S, Watts A, Metsios GS, Stewart AD. Published in Journal of Sports Science. 2010;28(9):1009-16. Abstract.
- Know Your Risks – Singapore Health Promotion Board.
- “The paradox of low body mass index and high body fat percentage among Chinese, Malays and Indians in Singapore” by Deurenberg-Yap M, Schmidt G, van Staveren WA, Deurenberg P. Published in Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000 Aug;24(8):1011-7. Abstract.
- “Overweight Japanese with body mass indexes of 23.0-24.9 have higher risks for obesity-associated disorders: a comparison of Japanese and Mongolians.” by Shiwaku K, Anuurad E, Enkhmaa B, Nogi A, Kitajima K, Shimono K, Yamane Y, Oyunsuren T.. Published in Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2004 Jan;28(1):152-8. Abstract.
i am 23 years old i had 3 kids i used to beable to fit into my size 8 but now iam a 12 i just need to lose the fat belly and tone up abit , but i love my food too much , please help
You have to start dieting and exercising. Maybe following a weight loss plan would suit you?
Hi
I have recently started on a new healthy way of life. I have cut my calories down to 1200 a day. I am 33 years old, weigh 112kg’s and I am 5ft tall.
This is my exercise routine. Sunday’s 45 minute circuit work out, Monday’s water areobics and on the other days I do between 15 and 20 minuts on the cross trainer. My question is: is the 15-20 minutes enough because I find it hard just to get to these times and that is on the lowest setting. Even tho I am feeling results and have lost 5.1 kgs in 4 weeks and a total of 24 cm’s off my body I am feeling unsure of my cross trainer work outs and whether I am doing the right thing
Hi Kim, sounds like a great start, well done. As you get fitter you will be able to push yourself harder, but it does take time. You need to build stronger muscles, a stronger heart and greater lung capacity to get fitter, so it takes time. One way to push yourself harder on the cross trainer is to do intensive interval workouts. These take the same time, 15-20 minutes, but you cycle sprints and recovery.
Hi motleyhealth
Will try that workout and let you know. Thanks for responding
I’m a teen and i want to tone up my legs and stomach but my parents wont let me diet help!!!!!
Hi Happy. Your parents are right in not allowing you to go on a diet. Teenagers actually have greater nutritional needs than adults as it is a time of rapid growth. What is important is that your diet is health and that you do not exceed your daily calorie requirements. Best way to tone legs and stomach is by doing a combination of cardio workouts and bodyweight conditioning – so running, swimming or rowing (for example) and sessions of squats, lunges, bicycle crunches, push ups, leg raises etc., Take a look at your fitness section and you will find all the workouts you need to get into shape.
am overweight, am 26 and i weigh 95 kg while my height is 5.6ft.
am tired of dieting pls help
may god bless yu
Hi Mary. Do you exercise? What type of dieting have you been doing? The only real way to lose weight is to change your lifestyle and diet. Eat healthy foods, learn to avoid the food that make you overweight, and get plenty of exercise on a regular basis. Healthy eating is not tiresome, it is just a way of life. Take a look at our nutrition section and start exercising – at least 3 times a week for 45 minutes each time.
Im 42. 5-11 and weigh 190….. I’m a avid runner (7 mi a day) along with 3-4 days of core/weight training. My BMI say’s I’m overweight? Give me a break! When I get below 185lb people say I look sickly.
The BMI scale is not designed with athletes in mind. Muscle is denser than fat and many athletes show a high BMI. Remember, it is a guide for the unfit and unhealthy, not for people who run 7 miles a day! Likewise it is not useful for children or elderly people either. Waist circumference is another option which many health care professionals now use.
Help !!! Just been diagnosed with High Cholesterol at the ripe old age of 53. I am 5ft 8.5in and weight just over 13st – 185 ibs. Love Sports but mainly watching my 2 Boys, Soccer and Cricket, otherwise an Armchair enthusiast. I definitely want massive change. Started with Less STRESS … then tacked DIET – plenty of High Fibre Cereals, and Fruit – Bananas and Apples. I am a South-East Asian, British Indian and have given up all Spicy Foods and Curries. What do you recommend regarding EXERCISE please ?
MILT, London.
Hi Milt, sorry to hear about your cholesterol. Healthy diet, exercise, not smoking and reducing coffee seem to be the main factors. Saturated fats raise cholesterol levels, as does coffee. For exercise, research shows that endurance exercise works better than weight training. If you have not exercised for a while start by walking more, walk each day if you can for 45 minutes at least. If you are fit enough jog, cycle, swim or hit the gym. So long as you are exercising you should reduce cholesterol.
hi, i am 10 weeks pregnant my midwife said that i am overweight due to being 163cm tall and 86kilos in weight what can i do being as i am pregnant and already have 2 children
Hi Lisa, just consume healthy foods, drop junk food and continue to do light exercise, such as walking. Keep your midwife / doctor informed of what you are doing and if in any doubt phone them and ask. Now is not really the time to try to lose weight but it is a good time to change your diet and start getting more active. The good nutrition will help you and your baby and being fitter and stronger, even just with walking, will make you stronger for the birth process and recovery afterwards.
pls help me, am living in Liberia and am overweight
Hi Rosetta. What sort of help are you looking for? Do you exercise? Is your diet healthy? Tell us more about yourself and we can give some advice.
i am erah from philippines. 13 years old and Iam 50kg in weight and my height is 151 cm. help me to lose fats for only 6 days.
Hi erah lim, you are at a healthy weight now so really you should focus on eating a healthy diet and getting more exercise. It is common for young teenagers to become less inactive these days as more children stop sports. Find some activities that you enjoy and exercise a few times a week.
ok thanks. What are the foods I need to eat to lessen my fats?
Low GI fruits and vegetables, protein and healthy fats. Basically, a healthy and balanced diet with plenty of exercise. Read Basics Of A Healthy Diet
OMG, it this right? According to the calculator my BMI is 32. I new I was a bit overweight, but that tells me that I am obese! I though obese people were the ones with their knees wobbling around their ankles! I just have a bit of extra padding, sure I must just be overweight?
Unfortunately it is probably right Francis. Unless you have a lot of muscle, maybe from an athletic youth, then the chances are that you are carrying too much fat. Many people are obese today and do not realise. The real serious health problems generally arise when BMI gets to 35-40 and beyond. At 32 you have a lot of fat to lose but I am guessing that you are still capable of exercising to a reasonable intensity. Now is certainly the time to take action.
Hey, I’m a male 15 years old, 160 lbs. and 5′ 5″. However, I am not overweight whatsoever. I am an excellent athlete and have a lot of muscle. However, I find it almost impossible to get a six-pack. Any help?
Hi Tyler, your BMI is 26.6 which indicates that you may be carrying extra body fat, although I guess most of your weight is muscle. What are you currently doing to try to get a six pack? What is your weekly training schedule like? And your diet?
Hi…Im 13 and i weigh 140-145, and it really affects my self asteam because every other girl in school is a very petite size. I know i am overweight at a height of 5’1 and half, my doctor told me that a blood type diet should make my weight drop but nothing so far. and if it helps my blood type is A positive. Someone please help me, i just hate being fat. It does nothing good for me and its just something terrible ive suffered with for a while. Please Help.
Hi Paula, I am not familiar with the blood type diet. I have just looked at a website that says it is the official site and a type A apparently will “flourish on a vegetarian diet”. It is all about a “natural diet”. However, I cannot find anything at all at the moment that supports the idea that different blood types affect what we should eat. This does not really make much sense on an evolutionary scale either – people in the same social group would have different blood types but the same diet.
However, eating a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables (but not so much that you consume many calories than you need) is a healthy option. You need protein too, so I personally feel that any diet that encourages a young woman to avoid meat, fish and eggs is not a good idea – plus these are the foods that help us to feel full for longer. The key at to losing weight and staying healthy is to avoid junk food, processed food, excess sugar, saturated fat and too many high GI carbs (bread, cakes, baked foods, white rice, pasta etc.).
Do you exercise? This is really key at your age. Your body needs plenty of nutrients at the moment as you are still developing, and over the next few years your body will need even more for healthy growth. By exercising you not only make your body fitter and stronger, it means that you can consume more food without putting on weight, i.e, it makes you healthier.
David L. Katz, MD answered a question about the blood type diet on Oprah.com. He says: “following this diet to the letter could deprive you of essential nutrients…. most respected medical experts do not support this approach“.
As suspected, it sounds like it is not based on science, just one man’s “idea” about how people can lose weight and be healthy.
Many people know what a healthy weight is. It is often possible to tell if someone is a healthy weight just by looking at them. One way that it used to determine if you are underweight or overweight, is to use the body mass index. A body mass index (BMI) of between 18.5 and 24.9 means that you are a healthy weight.
As the BMI gets higher, this figure can become misleading, as BMI does not take into account muscle. But for most people, keeping below 25 means that you are not overweight. Falling below 18 means that you are underweight.
So, what steps can we take to attain and maintain a healthy weight? At the most basic level, eating less, eating healthily and exercising is all that is required. However, as we all know, it is often hard to follow this advice for one reason or another!
I am 24 yrs. now my weight is 51 kgs. breakfast (dosa, chapatis, idly, poori) like these and for lunch with plain rice with curry and night am eating 2 chapatti. is there any changes to maintain the diet can u suggest me? because am having belly in lower. what is the precaution I have to take if I want to reduce my belly means? can u suggest me?
Hi Jhansi, you need to reduce intake of starchy foods such as chapatis and rice. More focus on nutrient dense vegetables and fruits, lean proteins. Eggs and fish are great for protein. You also need to ensure your portions are not too large. Then exercise often. Daily workouts are possibly the best way to manage your weight.
Hello! I’m a teenager, I’m 13 years old. I’m 5’2 and weigh 130 pounds. I usually eat a lot of healthy fruits, I Excerise, I burn atleast 100 calories per day..
But today, I started playing Just dance 2 and I’ve been doing that for a half an hour. I checked that I gained 3 pounds.. Is that normal?
I usually walk, run, dance.
Hi Nadine, weight fluctuates all the time. If you gained 3 pounds today that is not going to be 3 pounds of fat or muscle. It will probably go as quick as it came ….
Hi I’m 24 years old. And i train in the Gym 4 times a week. Though i’m gaining muscle mass a little, I’m not losing weight.. My BMI is 27.0
Hi Rahul, how long have you been doing this, what exercises are you doing, did you change your diet? To gain muscle you need to lift weights and get plenty of protein. To lose fat you need to reduce calories and do more cardio workouts. Overall, you probably need to reduce calories a little if you are not losing any fat.
Hi, I am 19 years old, 5’11”, 228 lbs. I am in need of help. I exercise daily. Running a mile then walking a mile: I do bicycle crunches and some light weight lifting but I don’t know how to eat. Can you help me with an eating routine that will be right for me without starving me? Thanks
Hi Katie, really you should try to follow a simple, balanced diet. Have you read our advice on healthy eating? Failing that you could try a simple, low calorie eating plan (see the section on Typical Daily Diet Plan).
Hi, I’m 14 and I weigh 160. I have had alot of trouble losing belly fat but I’m fine pretty much with the rest of my body.. Help!
Hi Shlee, do you exercise? Get active! Exercise, play sports, active hobbies (dance etc.) and eat healthy.
Hi i’m rahul.. I’m now going to the gym for 4 days a week for about 3 months now. But i concentrate more on resistance training. Is this the reason why i’m not losing weight.
It could be Rahul. Have you changed your diet? Have you added much muscle? Are you fitter and stronger? Really if you are bodybuilding you need to be monitoring your measurements. Waist circumference is the easiest way to measure fat loss progress.
Hello , I’m 14 years old and my BMI is 24.0 I have arm fat and belly fat, what can I do to get rid of them? Will running help? If so for how long daily?
Hi Wendy, running will help. What is most important is that you eat a balanced and healthy diet and take regular exercise. It really does not matter much how you exercise, you just need to be more active. If running, aim to run for 20-30 minutes a day to start with. This will get you fit.
Hi my name is komal i am 17yrs old i am a school student and my weight is 70 kgs and my height is 5feet 4 inches. Acc. to BMI CHART my bmi is 26.6 which tells that i am in the range of obesity. Will u plz tell me that what i should do to lose weight to get in range of normal BMI chart and specially tell me about the diet plan.
Hi Komal, you need to change the way you eat (eat healthier, eat less) and get active. Read this page to get started: How to lose weight.
Hi I’m a 34 year old mother of 3 I’m 5/5 and 176 pounds I exercise like mad dancing martial arts Zumba 5 times a week an hour at a time I eat 1200 calories a day healthy food but my body refuses to shed the weight or tone up in any real way HELP
Hi Jamie. Are you also counting all calories from drinks and healthy snacks? If you are eating just 1200 Calories of food a day and exercising 5 hours a week you should be losing fat. If you are still in your first week then give it more time before changing. As you get fitter you should start to see more changes. Have you found that you are fitter, more toned or leaner at all?
Hi. I’m 48, 5’7″ and weigh about 200 lbs. I recently had a body composition analyzer test and came up with the following:
weight 89.2 kg
fat % 36.9%
fat mass 32.9 kg
ffm 56.3 kg
muscle mass 53.5 kg
tbw 40.3 kg
tbw% 45.2%
bone mass 2.8 kg
bmr 7079 kj
1692 kcal
metabolic age 57
visceral fat rating 8
bmi 30.9
ideal body weight 63.6 kg (I’d be ecstatic to be 70 kg)
degree of obesity 40.3%
I know the fat rating is way too high, but also see and know I am very muscular which should help with weight loss. I have been on WWatchers diet and can easily lose weight the first few weeks and then there seems to be a stand still. I go to the gym 3x per week (1/2 hour cardio and 45 min weight training) and am fairly active.
I have hypothyroidism and take meds. What can be the problem to lose weight at a more consistent pace? any tips?
Thanks!
Hi Carol, just do more. More exercise, increase to 5 times a week, consider doing something every day – even if just a 20 minute home workout on the non-gym days. Refine the diet more, cut out more sugar etc.
Hi I’m a 14 year old boy and weigh about 155 pounds and am almost 5 feet 8. My stomach is a little chubby. I don’t want a six pack exactly but just a flat stmoach. Can you help me?