The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 years. BMI can be used to indicate if you are overweight, obese, underweight or normal. A high BMI can be an indicator of high body fatness. BMI is not used to directly measure body fat. For example, a man and a woman could both have a BMI of 30. However, the man would likely have more muscle mass and less body fat than the woman. Therefore, BMI may not accurately reflect the amount of body fat for some people. The following BMI chart for women can help you determine if you are overweight, obese, underweight or normal:
What is BMI?
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement that uses your height and weight to estimate how much body fat you have. BMI can be used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems but it is not diagnostic of the amount of body fat.
For most people, BMI is a good estimate of body fat. However, BMI may overestimate body fat in athletes and people who have a muscular build. For these people, other methods may be used to measure body fat.
To calculate your BMI, divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. You can also use our BMI calculator.
BMI = Weight (kg) ÷ Height2 (m)
Or use this calculator.
What is a healthy BMI for women?
A healthy BMI for women is a BMI that falls between 18.5 and 24.9. A woman with a BMI of 18.5 or below is considered underweight, while a woman with a BMI of 25 or above is considered overweight. A healthy BMI falls within the range of 18.5 to 24.9. If your BMI is outside of this range, it does not necessarily mean that you are unhealthy—there are many factors that affect your health, including your diet and lifestyle choices. However, if you are outside of the healthy BMI range, it is important to talk to your doctor about ways to improve your health.
BMI chart for women
BMI is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height. BMI does not measure body fat directly, but research has shown that BMI is moderately correlated with more direct measures of body fat, such as skinfold thickness measurements, bioelectrical impedance, underwater weighing, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and other methods 1.
The BMI chart for women below shows the range of BMIs for women of different heights and weights.
Underweight: Your BMI is less than 18.5
Normal weight: Your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9
Overweight: Your BMI is 25 to 29.9
Obesity: Your BMI is 30 or greater
How to calculate your BMI
If you’re a woman, use this BMI calculator for women to find out if you’re underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese.
Input your height in feet and inches: ____ ft ____ in
Now input your weight in pounds: ______ lbs
After the input values calculator will show your Body Mass Index is: ___X___ BMI
Underweight = BMI <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
Overweight = 25–29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
What to do if your BMI is not in the healthy range
If your BMI is not in the healthy range, there are a few things you can do to improve your health. First, try to lose weight if you are overweight. You can do this by eating fewer calories and exercising more. If you are underweight, you should try to gain weight. You can do this by eating more calories and exercising less. If you are obese, you should try to lose weight. You can do this by eating fewer calories and exercising more. Finally, if you have a medical condition that affects your BMI, you should talk to your doctor about how to best manage your condition.
Conclusion
Being at a healthy weight is important for many reasons. It can help reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. A healthy weight can also help you to maintain mobility and independence as you age. Use this BMI chart for women to check if you’re a healthy weight, underweight, overweight or obese. If you find that you are not at a healthy weight, talk to your GP about ways to achieve a healthier body mass index.
