Body Mass Index

What is the body mass index (BMI)?

The body mass index is a method used to measure a person’s percentage of body fat. Weight in kilograms is divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2).

In studies by the National Center for Health Statistics, overweight is defined as a body mass index of 25.0–29.9 (based on U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans). A BMI of approximately 25 kg/m2 corresponds to about 110 percent of ideal body weight.

Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or greater (based on criteria of the World Health Organization).

How do you find your body mass index?

1. Use a weight scale on a hard,flat, uncarpeted surface. Wear very little clothing and no shoes.

2. Obtain your weight to the nearest pound and write it down.

3. With your eyes facing forward and your heels together, stand very straight against a wall. Your buttocks, shoulders and the back of your head should be touching the wall.

4. Use a ruler held at a right angle to the wall to mark your height at the highest point of your head. Then use a yardstick held flat against the wall to measure from the floor to the point you marked with the ruler. Write down your height in inches to the nearest ¼ inch.

5. Find your height in inches along the top of the Body Mass Index Table. Find your weight in pounds along the left side of the table. Then find the number on the chart where the two values meet. This is your body mass index.

**Body Mass Index Table (for adults only)**
	Height (inches)
Weight (pounds)	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80
100	20	18	17	16	15	14	14	13	12	12	11
105	21	19	18	17	16	15	14	14	13	12	12
110	22	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	13	12
115	23	21	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	13
120	23	22	21	19	18	17	16	15	14	14	13
125	24	23	22	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	14
130	25	24	22	21	20	19	18	17	16	15	14
135	26	25	23	22	21	19	18	17	16	16	15
140	27	26	24	23	21	20	19	18	17	16	15
145	28	27	25	23	22	21	20	19	18	17	16
150	29	27	26	24	23	22	20	19	18	17	17
155	30	28	27	25	24	22	21	20	19	18	17
160	31	29	28	26	24	23	22	21	20	19	18
165	32	30	28	27	25	24	22	21	20	19	18
170	33	31	29	27	26	24	23	22	21	20	19
175	34	32	30	28	27	25	24	23	21	20	19
180	35	33	31	29	27	26	24	23	22	21	20
185	36	34	32	30	28	27	25	24	23	21	20
190	37	35	33	31	29	27	26	24	23	22	21
195	38	36	34	32	30	28	27	25	24	23	21
200	39	37	34	32	30	29	27	26	24	23	22
205	40	38	35	33	31	29	28	26	25	24	23
210	41	38	36	34	32	30	29	27	26	24	23
215	42	39	37	35	33	31	29	28	26	25	24
220	43	40	38	36	34	32	30	28	27	25	24
225	44	41	39	36	34	32	30	29	27	26	25
230	45	42	40	37	35	33	31	30	28	27	25
235	46	43	40	38	36	34	32	30	29	27	26
240	47	44	41	39	37	35	33	31	29	28	26
245	48	45	42	40	37	35	33	32	30	28	27
250	49	46	43	40	38	36	34	32	30	29	28
255	50	47	44	41	39	37	35	33	31	30	28
260	51	48	45	42	40	37	35	33	32	30	29
265	52	49	46	43	40	38	36	34	32	31	29
270	53	49	46	44	41	39	37	35	33	31	30
275	54	50	47	44	42	40	37	35	34	32	30
280	55	51	48	45	43	40	38	36	34	32	31
285	56	52	49	46	43	41	39	37	35	33	31
290	57	53	50	47	44	42	39	37	35	34	32
295	58	54	51	48	45	42	40	38	36	34	32
300	59	55	52	49	46	43	41	39	37	35	33