Body Mass Index (BMI), also called Quetelet's Index, is a computation of your weight based on your height. Medical professionals often use BMI to determine whether an individual is a healthy weight. An excessively high or low BMI can be an indicator of increased mortality risk.
Step 1
Convert your height to centimeters. Multiply your height in inches by 2.54 to find your height in centimeters. Example: if you are 5'9", you are 69 inches tall; 69 inches x 2.54 cm/in = 175.26 centimeters.
Step 2
Convert your height to meters. Divide your height in centimeters by 100 and round to two decimal places. Example: 175.26 / 100 = 1.7526 or 1.75 meters once rounded.
Step 3
Square your height. Multiply your height (in meters) by your height again and round to two decimal places. Example: 1.75 meters x 1.75 meters = 3.0625 meters squared or 3.06 meters squared, rounded.
Step 4
Convert your weight to kilograms. Divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 and round to two decimal places. Example: 145 lbs. / 2.2 = 65.9090 kilograms or 65.91 kilograms rounded.
Step 5
Calculate BMI. Divide your weight in kilograms (from Step 4) by your height in meters squared (from Step 3) and round to one decimal place to find your BMI. Example: 65.91 kilograms / 3.06 meters squared = 21.539 or 21.5.
Step 6
Find your BMI classification. Carol Porth, in "Essentials of Pathophysiology," lists the classifications of BMI results: BMI less than 18.5 is underweight, BMI 18.5 to 24.9 is normal, BMI 25 to 29.9 is overweight, BMI 30.0 to 39.9 is obese, and BMI greater than 40 is extremely obese. Find the category with which your BMI correlates.
References
- "ACSM's Health-Related Physical Fitness Assessment Manual;" American College of Sports Medicine; 2005
- "Essentials of Pathophysiology:" Carol Mattson Porth; 2007
Member Comments