When using pounds and inches, the formula needs to be altered slightly. Multiply your weight in pounds by Divide that by your height in inches, squared:. Doctors and nurses often use BMI to help find out if a person might have a weight problem. Minus Related Pages. Height: Feet. Weight: Pounds.
For the information you entered: Height: Weight: Your BMI is , indicating your weight is in the category for adults of your height. How is BMI used? Why is BMI used to measure overweight and obesity?
What are other ways to assess excess body fatness? How is BMI calculated? How is BMI interpreted for adults? Is BMI interpreted the same way for children and teens as it is for adults? How good is BMI as an indicator of body fatness?
If an athlete or other person with a lot of muscle has a BMI over 25, is that person still considered to be overweight? For example, research shows that Mexican American women tend to have a different body fat distribution than white or Black women.
Additionally, Black women tend to have a higher amount of muscle mass than white or Mexican American women On average, Mexican American women have more body mass in their abdomen. These differences between women of various ethnicities are based on data averaged over many people.
Every person is different. This means that even if two women have the same BMI, they can have very different regional body fat distribution and muscle mass Furthermore, researchers acknowledge that the link between BMI and mortality risk is much weaker among Black women than among white women 15 , This is because BMI is a weaker indicator of body fat levels in Black women and because, on average, Black women have different fat distribution than white women.
Plus, BMI is not associated with blood fat levels in Black women as it is in white women Studies have shown that healthcare professionals are more likely to misclassify Black women as having obesity because of their higher percentage of muscle mass Research shows that Asian and South Asian populations have more body fat relative to their body weight than white populations and that health conditions like type 2 diabetes occur at lower BMI levels in Asian populations than in white populations The BMI system often misclassifies women with significant amounts of muscle mass as having overweight or obesity, even though their body fat levels are low.
This includes people such as bodybuilders and professional athletes 19 , 20 , 21 , Older women tend to have lower muscle mass and more fat located in their midsection than younger women. This is due to age-related changes in hormone levels, slowing of physical activity, and changes in torso length due to osteoporosis Even though an older woman may have the same BMI as a younger woman, the older woman will likely have less muscle mass and more body fat, which increase her risk of disease.
A study that included 1, postmenopausal women found that the BMI cutoff of 30 was not an accurate indicator of obesity in this population. The researchers pointed out that BMI may not indicate obesity in many postmenopausal women who do have obesity Healthcare professionals recommend that women gain a certain amount of weight during pregnancy based on their prepregnancy BMI range 24 , They can help you determine a healthy weight gain during pregnancy based on your specific needs and overall health.
However, BMI is not an accurate measure of obesity in many people. Get advice from your midwife or GP if you're concerned about your weight. Page last reviewed: 15 July Next review due: 15 July Home Common health questions Lifestyle Back to Lifestyle. What is the body mass index BMI?
If your BMI is: below
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