It is widely recognized that body weight and health are generally related to one another. Many studies have in fact shown that excess weight can lead to health problems. In addition, being under your “healthy weight” can also be harmful. The body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference are used to determine a person’s healthy weight.
BMI is a mathematical relationship between weight and height. It is used to assess (qualitatively) a person’s risk of developing certain diseases.
BMI results fall under one of these four categories:
| Classification |
BMI values |
Risk of developing health problems |
Underweight |
< 18.5 |
Increased |
Normal weight |
From 18.5 to 24.9 |
Slight |
Overweight |
From 25.0 to 29.9 |
Increased |
Obese |
> 30.0 |
High |
Important
BMI is an indicator, not an absolute measurement.
It does not apply to:
- infants
- children
- adolescents
- pregnant or breastfeeding women
|
- endurance athletes
- people with high muscle mass
- people over the age of 65
|
To determine your BMI, enter your height and your weight into the boxes below and click “Calculate.”
1. Choose your measure units
Meters & Kilos
Feet & Pounds
2. Complete
Your height:
&
Your weight: