BMI, or body mass index, is a measurement of your body fat based on a ratio of height and weight. One of many tools, your BMI can help you assess your risk of developing obesity-related illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and sleep apnea. The BMI doesn't measure body fat directly the way other tests do, but in general your BMI does correlate to your body fat percentage. Exceptions to this rule include pregnant women, athletes and seniors. Use your BMI as a tool in creating a picture of your overall health. Weight is not the only risk factor for disease.
Step 1
Use a digital scale to determine your accurate weight. For example, let's say that you weigh 160 lbs.
Step 2
Determine your height in inches. Square that number by multiplying it by itself. For example, if you are 5 foot 6 inches, your height in inches is 5 x 12 + 6, or 66 inches. Multiply 66 x 66 to arrive at 4,356.
Step 3
Divide your weight in pounds by your squared height in inches. Using the same example, divide 160 by 4,356, which equals 0.0367.
Step 4
Multiply that number by 703. Using the example, 0.0367 x 703 = 25.8. An adult male who is 5 foot 6 inches tall and weighs 160 lbs. has a BMI of 25.8, putting him in the overweight category. If your BMI is less than 18.5, you are considered underweight, and if it's between 18.5 and 24.9, your weight is considered normal. If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, you are considered overweight, and if it's over 30, you are considered obese.
Tips and Warnings
- Although the BMI calculation stays the same for children and teens, the category ranges are different, depending on age and gender. If math isn't your strong suit, enter your height and weight in an online BMI calculator.
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Calculator
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