Your body mass index (BMI) uses weight and height in order to determine if you're at a healthy range. If a person's BMI is too high, this can indicate a person should lose weight. However, it can be an imprecise measurement because it doesn't take into account that a person has a significant amount of muscle or is advanced in age. If a person has a dangerous BMI level, this may indicate to a physician that further testing (such as a cholesterol screening) is needed.
Step 1
Measure your weight in pounds on a scale.
Step 2
Measure your height in inches. For example, if you are 5 feet, 6 inches tall, your height in inches is 65 (one foot = 12 inches).
Step 3
Use the formula [weight in pounds/(height in inches squared)] x 703 = Body Mass Index. For example, if a person weighs 150 pounds and is 5 feet 6 inches tall, first multiply 65 times 65, which equals 4,225. Then divide 150 by 4,225, which equals roughly 3.5502958579. Multiply this number times 703, which equals 24.96. Therefore, a person with these measurements has a BMI of around 25.
Step 4
Find your weight status measurement in terms of BMI. For example, a person whose BMI is less than 18.5 is underweight; between 18.5 and 24.9 is normal; between 25.0 and 29.9 is overweight; and higher than 30 is considered obese.
Tips and Warnings
- If you prefer to use kilogram and meters, use the calculation of weight (in kilograms) divided by height squared. BMI also may be affected by a person's gender (for example, a woman typically has a higher BMI than a man of the same height). Ask your physician if your BMI is right on the borderline to determine how to reach a healthy weight.
- If your BMI shows you are underweight or overweight, seek medical assistance or supervision to help you reach a healthy BMI.
Things You'll Need
- Calculator
- Scale
- Tape measure/yardstick
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