What Is BMI?

The body mass index is the calculation of your body weight in relation to your height. BMI, formerly called the Quetelet index, is a measure for indicating nutritional status in adults. It is defined as a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of the person’s height in metres.

It is commonly used as an indicator of whether you might be in a risk category for health problems caused by your weight.

BMI is calculated based on the weight and the height of a person. There is no such thing as a BMI calculator for females or a BMI calculator for males, but as the pictures show, men and women have different weight distributions. Men tend to accumulate mass at the waist, whereas women accumulate weight in the hips and buttocks.

BMI classifications for men and women according to World Health Organization(WHO):

Below 18.5 - Underweight

18.5–24.9 - Normal weight

25.0–29.9 - Pre-obesity

30.0–34.9 - Obesity class I

35.0–39.9 - Obesity class II

Above 40 - Obesity class III