Your body mass index (BMI) is a comparison between your weight and height. The World Health Organization (WHO) uses it in population studies to assess the weight of population groups. A physician may also use the BMI to evaluate the weight of individual patients. The BMI is a useful preliminary screening tool because it only requires your weight and height. It doesn't take age, body composition or gender into account.
Step 1
Measure your height in inches with a tape measure. Assume for this example that you're 69 inches tall.
Step 2
Weigh yourself in pounds with a scale. Perform this step in the morning when your water weight is at its lowest level. Assume for this example that you weigh 163 pounds.
Step 3
Compute your BMI by dividing your weight in pounds by the square of your height in inches. This will provide your BMI in units of pounds per square inch. Assume for this example that you're 69 inches tall and weigh 163 pounds. Your BMI is 163 / (69 x 69) = 0.0342 pounds per square inch.
Step 4
Convert your BMI to kilograms per square meter by multiplying by 703. Assume for this example that your BMI is 0.0342 pounds per square inch. This is equal to a BMI of 0.0342 x 703 = 24.0 pounds per square meter. This step is necessary because the WHO values are listed in units of kilograms per square meter.
Step 5
Determine your weight classification from your BMI. A BMI of 24.0 is within the normal BMI range of 18.5 to 25. A BMI below this level is underweight and a BMI in the range of 25 to 30 is pre-obesity. A BMI above this range indicates obesity.
Things You'll Need
- Bathroom scale
- Scales
- Calculator
Member Comments