CheckPre

BMI Calculator

Check your body mass index against both the international and the Asian cut-offs India actually uses.

Updated · By Niraj Kumar · 1 source

cm
100 cm220 cm

5′ 7″

kg
20 kg200 kg

154.3 lb

Your BMI24.2Overweight on the Asian cut-offs

Where you sit

WHO Asian cut-offs
  • Underweight< 18.5
  • Normal18.5–23
  • Overweight23–25
  • Obese25+
International categoryNormalWHO cut-offs: overweight at 25
Healthy weight for your height53.5–66.2 kgAsian cut-offs: BMI 18.5 to 22.9

How is BMI calculated?

BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared. A 70 kg adult who is 1.70 m tall has a BMI of 24.2. The WHO calls 18.5 to 24.9 healthy, while the Asian cut-offs used in India move the overweight line down to 23, so 24.2 counts as overweight there.

BMI divides your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared, giving one number that can be checked against fixed cut-offs and compared from year to year. Dividing by height squared is what makes the figure roughly comparable between a tall person and a short one — it is a rough adjustment rather than an exact one, which is part of why BMI is a screening tool and not a diagnosis.

BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height (m)²
weight
Body weight in kilograms
height
Height in metres — centimetres divided by 100
BMI
The resulting index, usually between 15 and 40
BMI categories for adults: WHO international and Asian cut-offs
CategoryWHO internationalAsian (used in India)
UnderweightBelow 18.5Below 18.5
Healthy18.5 – 24.918.5 – 22.9
Overweight25 – 29.923 – 24.9
Obese30 and above25 and above

Worked example

Someone 170 cm tall weighing 70 kg.

  1. 1Convert height to metres: 170 ÷ 100 = 1.70
  2. 2Square it: 1.70 × 1.70 = 2.89
  3. 3Divide weight by that: 70 ÷ 2.89 = 24.2

A BMI of 24.2 — normal on the international cut-offs, but overweight on the Asian cut-offs India follows, where the threshold is 23.

Frequently asked questions

Why do Indians have different BMI thresholds?

Research found that South Asians tend to carry more body fat, and more of it around the abdomen, at any given BMI than European populations. Health risks such as diabetes and heart disease therefore appear at lower numbers. The WHO Asian cut-offs move overweight from 25 to 23 and obesity from 30 to 25, and Indian health guidelines follow them.

Is BMI accurate for everyone?

No. BMI does not distinguish muscle from fat, so a trained athlete can register as overweight while carrying very little fat. It is also unreliable for children, pregnant women, and older adults who have lost muscle mass. It works reasonably well as a population-level screen and as a way to track your own trend, not as a verdict on an individual.

What is a healthy BMI range?

On the international cut-offs, 18.5 to 24.9. On the Asian cut-offs used in India, 18.5 to 22.9. This calculator shows the weight range that corresponds to the Asian band for your height, which is usually the more practical target if you are in South Asia.

What should I look at alongside BMI?

Waist circumference is the most useful companion measure, alongside a body fat estimate, because abdominal fat carries more risk than fat elsewhere. Indian guidelines flag above 90 cm for men and 80 cm for women. Waist-to-height ratio, blood pressure, fasting glucose and lipid profile together give a far fuller picture than BMI alone.

My BMI is normal but I still feel unfit. Is that possible?

Yes, and it is common enough to have a name — normal weight obesity, sometimes called being skinny fat. Someone can sit inside the healthy BMI band while carrying a high fat percentage and little muscle. Body composition and fitness markers matter independently of what the scale says.

Sources

Related calculators

More in Health & Fitness