Your body mass index is a calculation based on your weight and height. Health care workers commonly use it as a preliminary screening method to determine if you’re at the right weight for your height. The World Health Organization, also known as the WHO, publishes weight classifications based on body mass index values. These values are in metric units, which will require you to convert English measurements to metric units.
Step 1
Measure yourself with a tape measure to get your height in inches. Convert your height to meters by multiplying your height in inches by 0.0254. For example, if you’re 69 inches tall, your height in meters is 69 x 0.0254 = 1.75 m.
Step 2
Weigh yourself with a scale to get your weight in pounds. Convert your weight to kilograms by dividing your weight in pounds by 2.2. For example, if you weigh 139 lbs., your weight in kilograms is 139 / 2.2 = 63.1 kg.
Step 3
Divide your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters to obtain your body mass index in metric units. Your weight is 63.1 kg and your height is 1.75 m in this example. Your body mass index in metric units is therefore 63.1 / (1.75 × 1.75) = 20.1 kg/m^2.
Step 4
Compare your body mass index to the values in the WHO body mass index table to determine your weight classification. The WHO table shows that a body mass index greater than 18.5 kg/m^2 and less than 25 kg/m^2 is normal. Your body mass index is 20.1 kg/m^2 in this example and is therefore within the normal range.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Scale
- Calculator
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