BMI Calculator: body mass index calculation (formula, table)

Formula for calculating BMI

To calculate BMI, a person's weight is divided by the square of their height.

BMI = m/h²

m = body weight in kilograms h = body height in metres

The expert guarantor, Andrea Bull, MD, adds the following information: the Body Mass Index was created in the 1840s, before the advent of calculators, when the formula had to be very simple to be usable. It is most accurate for the average person, who is about 165 cm tall. However, there are millions of people who are much shorter, but also a few cm taller. For these people, the outdated formula may be inaccurate, which is why a more accurate formula, the "new BMI", was developed in 2013.

The "new BMI" formula:

• For weight in kilograms and height in metres:
  • BMI = 1.3 * weight (kg) / height (m^)2.5
• For weight in pounds and height in inches:
  • BMI = 5734 * weight (lb) / height (in^)2.5

BMI index

BMI is a shortening of the term body mass index, which loosely translates to body mass index. It tracks a person's nutritional status and provides an indication of their body weight. It indicates the degree of being underweight, overweight, or obese.

Based on the result, the risk of health complications and other problems can be predicted.

The advantage of the BMI is the speed of finding the result with a minimum of data required. Height and weight are usually known by everyone.

However, BMI is not as accurate a method as other forms of measurement.

Why, you ask?

An athlete, bodybuilder, bodybuilder will have a high BMI value. But such a value is not accurate. A person with a lot of muscle can have a BMI higher than 30 points and still not be obese.

For the general population, it is a smart, easy and quick way to determine the level of nutrition. The BMI serves as a warning of possible health problems that result from malnutrition or, conversely, overweight and obesity.

Other useful calculators:

• WHR Index Calculator - Waist to hip ratio calculation
• ABSI Body Shape Index - Calculation of obesity and disease risk
• Calculating BMR - Calculator - What is my basal metabolic rate?

Read also:

• Healthy weight loss in women. Appropriate diet and exercise. Truths and myths about weight loss
• BMI: How to calculate body mass index? Calculator + formula
• Obesity and its consequences for health. It's not just an aesthetic problem
• Overweight and obesity in adults and children as a risk of complications? + Causes in a nutshell
• Overweight and obesity in children, adolescents and young adults. What to do against it?
• What is metabolic syndrome and what are its most common complications?