Determining body mass index, or BMI, offers an indirect way to assess your body composition. Though BMI does not measure fat directly, it correlates highly with body fat, according to the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. BMI offers a quick and inexpensive way to estimate body fat and to determine your weight category.
Step 1
Weigh yourself when wearing a minimal amount of clothing. Then measure your height in inches.
Step 2
Plug the height and weight measurements into the following formula: [weight in pounds / (height in inches)2 x 703]. In other words, divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared. Then multiply by 703, which functions as a conversion factor.
Step 3
Determine your weight status based on the following BMI ranges, provided by the CDC: BMI below 18.5 – underweight; BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 – normal weight; BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 – overweight; BMI of 30.0 or above – obese
Tips and Warnings
- This BMI formula and the weight status formula are for average adults. It will not provide accurate results for children and teens. To get your BMI even quicker, use your weight and height in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services BMI table available online. To determine the BMI of a child or teen, use the CDC online BMI calculator.
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Tape measure
- Calculator
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