The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple mathematical formula that is used to estimate a person’s body fat. BMI does not directly measure body fat, but it is a useful tool to estimate if a person is carrying too much weight for their height. The BMI formula is the weight (in kilograms) divided by height squared (in meters). For example, a person who weighs 70 kg and is 1.75 m tall would have a BMI of 22.9. BMI can be used for both adults and children, but it is not an accurate measure for everyone. For example, athletes or people with very muscular builds may have a high BMI but not have excess body fat. Similarly, people who are elderly or have lost muscle mass may have a low BMI but still be carrying excess body fat. Despite its limitations, BMI is still the most commonly used method to assess whether someone is at a healthy weight. A BMI of 18.5-24.9 is considered healthy, 25-29.9 is considered overweight, and 30 or above is considered obese.

What is the BMI Formula?

The BMI formula is a simple mathematical equation that calculates an individual’s body mass index. The BMI formula is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. The resulting number is then used to determine whether an individual is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.

How to Calculate Your BMI?

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.

To calculate your BMI, you need to know your height in meters (m) and your weight in kilograms (kg).

If you don’t know your height in meters, you can convert it from inches or centimeters. 1 inch = 0.0254 m, so if you are 5’4″ tall (64 inches), your height is 1.6256 m (5 feet 4 inches = 63.5 inches). 1 cm = 0.01 m, so if you are 170 cm tall, your height is 1.7 m.

Once you have your height in meters, multiply it by itself. This is your square meter value or “m2”. Divide your weight in kilograms by your square meter value. The number you get is your BMI. For example, if you are 1.6256 m tall and weigh 68 kg, your BMI would be:
68 ÷ (1.6256 x 1.6256) = 25.857142857

A BMI of 25-29 indicates that an individual is overweight, while a BMI of 30 or greater indicates obesity.