Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a tool that medical professionals use to determine the relative body fatness of individuals. By knowing your BMI, you can determine whether you are in the proper weight range for your height. Although you can determine your own BMI, it's important to check with your doctor before making any changes based in your measurement. Physicians take other factors into account and may have specific recommendations for you.
Step 1
Weigh yourself. Using your bathroom scale, determine your weight and record it on your piece of paper.
Step 2
Measure your height. Stand against a wall with your heels, back and head pressed against it. Look straight ahead. Have a friend put a hardback book on your head, touching the wall. It should be parallel to the floor and as level as possible. Have her mark the wall at the level of the bottom of the book with a pencil. Step away from the wall and measure your height with a tape measure.
Step 3
Determine our BMI. Divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches, squared. Then multiply the result by 703. The final number is your BMI.
Step 4
Determine your body fatness. A BMI below 18.5 is underweight, 18.5 to 24.9 is normal weight, 24.9 to 29.9 is overweight, and 30 and over is obese.
Tips and Warnings
- Measure your height and weight without wearing shoes. For an online BMI calculator, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site.
- Waist circumference is also an important measure. If you waist circumference is more than 35 inches for a woman or 40 inches for a man, you may be at higher health risk and should see your doctor. Athletes with high muscle mass can have inaccurate BMI measurements, due to heavier weight from muscle, not fat.
Things You'll Need
- Bathroom scale
- Hardback book
- Paper
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Calculator
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