Body mass index, or BMI, is a parameter used by clinicians to determine health risks. Anyone with a BMI over 25 would be classified as overweight and anyone with a BMI over 30 would be classified as obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This index measures fat and muscle combined. If you lift weights and have a high amount of muscle, your BMI might read high, but you are not in poor heath. Measure your body mass index with basic household tools and basic math skills.
English System
Step 1
Weigh yourself and get an accurate reading. Roll out of bed in the morning, use the bathroom and strip down to your underwear. Step onto the scale and commit your weight to memory. Do this on a completely empty stomach for accuracy.
Step 2
Remove your shoes and lean against a wall to calculate your height. Take out a pencil and make a small mark at the top of your head. Grab a tape measure and measure this distance in inches. Write it down or commit it to memory.
Step 3
Input your information into an equation. Use 72 inches and 190 lbs. for an example. The equation is weight, divided by height squared, times 703. This would be 190/ 72 x 72 x 703. Your body mass index in this case would be 26. This would be considered overweight based off the BMI chart, but this can also mean you have a lot of muscle.
Metric System
Step 1
Determine your weight and convert pounds to kilograms. Use 200 lbs. for example. Divide 200 by 2.2 to covert it kilograms which comes out to 91 kg.
Step 2
Measure yourself and convert your height in inches to meters. Use 5-foot-3-inches as an example. This comes out to 63 inches. Multiply 63 times .0254 to convert inches to meters and you get 1.6 m.
Step 3
Use the metric system formula to determine your body mass index. The formula is weight in kg divided by height in meters squared. Using the examples from steps 1 and 2, the equation would be 91/ 1.6 x 1.6. Your body mass index would be 36, which is considered obese.
Tips and Warnings
- To check your BMI without any figuring, use an online resource like the one set up by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Enter your accurate height and weight and click on "Compute BMI."
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Tape measure
- Pencil
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