The Body Mass Index factors in your weight and height to estimate body fat. BMI indicates body fat percentage and indexes weight into underweight, normal, overweight and obese categories. A BMI lower than 18.5 is considered underweight. A normal BMI falls anywhere between 18.5 and 24.9. If your BMI falls between 25 and 29.9, this indicates an overweight status, and a BMI of 30 or higher indicates obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Your ideal weight corresponds to the normal range of BMI for your height and weight.
Step 1
Locate your height in inches on the left side of the Body Mass Index table. The table indicates BMI for various weights and heights in a spreadsheet format. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute provides a BMI table on its website.
Step 2
Refer to the numbers across the top of the chart, which indicate BMI based on your height in inches and your weight in pounds. The table provided by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute lists a BMI range of 19 to 35 on its main chart. If your weight is below the amount that corresponds to 19, you can calculate your BMI using a formula, according to the CDC. Divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared. Then multiply your answer by 703 to determine your BMI. A BMI calculator is also available on CDC's website.
Step 3
Determine your ideal weight range by locating the weight amounts for your height that fall in the healthy BMI range on the table. Weights that correspond to BMI numbers 19 to 24 and that are less than 25 BMI indicate an optimum weight range.
Tips and Warnings
- Although the BMI is a generally reliable indicator of body fat, the index might overestimate body fat in muscular athletes and underestimate in elderly persons who have lost muscle, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
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