Your body mass index (BMI) measures the ratio of your weight to your height. Your physician may use your BMI along with other factors to determine if you need to gain or lose weight. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides specific weight classifications based on BMI. Finding out where you fit in the WHO's classifications will require you to convert your measurements to metric units of meters and kilograms, since the WHO BMI values are in metric units.
Step 1
Measure your height in inches. Convert your height from inches to meters by multiplying by 0.0254. For example, assume you're 65 inches tall. You are therefore 65 x 0.0254 = 1.65 meters tall.
Step 2
Measure your weight in pounds. Convert your weight from pounds to kilograms by dividing by 2.2. For example, assume you weigh 150 pounds. You weigh 150 / 2.2 = 68 kilograms.
Step 3
Calculate your BMI with the formula BMI = w / (h x h) where w is your weight and h is your height. Ensure that your weight is in kilograms and your height is in meters. If your weight is 68 kilograms and your height is 1.65 meters, your BMI is 68 / (1.65 x 1.65) = 24.98.
Step 4
Determine your weight classification from your BMI. The WHO classifies a person with a BMI between 18.5 and 25 as being within the normal weight range. The sample BMI of 24.98 indicates you're within the normal weight range.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Bathroom scale
- Calculator
- BMI chart
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