BMI Calculator: What Your BMI Really Means

What is BMI?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple measure of body weight relative to height. It was developed in the 1800s by Adolphe Quetelet as a population-level screening tool, not as an individual health diagnostic.

BMI Categories (WHO Standard)

• Below 18.5 — Underweight
• 18.5 – 24.9 — Normal Weight
• 25.0 – 29.9 — Overweight
• 30.0 and above — Obese

Limitations of BMI

BMI has significant limitations as an individual health measure. Athletes with high muscle mass often have a "overweight" or "obese" BMI despite being extremely healthy. Elderly people may have a "normal" BMI but carry excess body fat (sarcopenic obesity). BMI also does not account for where fat is distributed — abdominal fat is more metabolically dangerous than fat stored elsewhere.

Better Health Indicators

Waist circumference (under 80cm for women, 94cm for men), waist-to-height ratio, body fat percentage measured by DEXA scan, and blood test results (cholesterol, blood glucose, inflammation markers) paint a more complete picture of health.

Calculate your BMI with our free BMI Calculator.