How to Calculate BMI: Body mass index

Are you really too fat or you just look chubby? The BMI calculator provides the answer to the question. It helps to estimate the body weight to height ratio and predict how much you need to reduce or gain to look better. Let us teach you how to calculate BMI.

The condition of being fat is very subjective. Sometimes people of normal weight look heavier then they should, even though their weight is perfectly fine from a medical point of view. The BMI calculator provides first clues as to whether you should really lose weight. BMI is based on the classification of the World Health Organization (WHO). The range of the recommended normal weight according to the height is relatively wide. You don’t have to be skinny for a healthy figure. Let us show you how to calculate BMI.

The Body Mass Index (BMI) only allows a first rough assessment. If you have a lot of muscle or higher bone density, you can have a high BMI without being overweight in the strict sense. The BMI also says nothing about the distribution of body fat. In particular, too much belly fat is considered a health risk. There are other classifications that include age and gender in the assessment.

Many experts now consider the value of Waist-to-Height Ratio to be more meaningful than BMI. The Waist-to-Height Ratio is derived by Waist circumference in centimeters divided by height in centimeters. A value below 0.5 (for older people below 0.6) is considered desirable. The waist circumference alone also helps with rough orientation and it should not be more than 102 centimeters in men and 88 centimeters in women.

BMI classification of the World Health Organization (WHO):

18.5 – 24.9: normal weight

25-29.9: overweight

30-34.9: Obesity grade I

35-39.9: Obesity grade II

from 40: obesity grade III

BMI also varies with age. The following table shows BMI values for different age groups:

Now when you know how to calculate BMI, you can easily find out whether you are skinny or overweight. There are several methods of losing weight that you can apply to get back in shape.