Med Access India

Body Mass Index

Body mass index (BMI) or Quetelet Index is a statistical measure of the weight of a person scaled according to height. It was invented between 1830 and 1850 by the Belgian polymath Adolphe Quetelet during the course of developing "social physics".

Calculation

Body mass index is defined as the individual's body weight divided by the square of their height. The formulas universally used in medicine produce a unit of measure of kg/m2. Body mass index may be accurately calculated using any of the formulas below.

BMI is an estimate of body fat. The higher the BMI, the greater the risk of some diseases, including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes.

It can be applied to both men and women.

BMI is calculated as the ratio of the weight in Kg and height in square metre. Guidelines define overweight as a BMI between 25 and 29.9 kg/square meter and obesity as a BMI greater than 30.

SI units	US units	UK mixed units
$\mathrm{BMI} = \frac{\mathit{weight} \ \mathrm{(kg)}}{\mathit{height}^2 (\mathrm{m^2})}$	$\mathrm{BMI} = 703\times\frac{\mathit{weight} \ (\mathrm{lb})}{\mathit{height}^2 \ (\mathrm{in^2})}$	$\mathrm{BMI} = 6.35\times\frac{\mathit{weight} \ (\mathrm{stone})}{\mathit{height}^2 \ (\mathrm{m^2})}$

BMI Calculator

Height

Weight

	Your BMI Is
	You Are

Below 18.5	Underweight
18.5 - 24.9	Normal
25.0 - 29.9	Overweight
30.0 - 39.9	Clinically Obese
40 and above	Morbidly Obese