How To Calculate BMI (Body Mass Index) – Easy Formula To Calculate Your BMI On Your Own

Body Mass Index or BMI is a method of calculating whether you are overweight or underweight. Developed by a Belgian statistician named Adolphe Quelet, it is also called the Quelet index. It is an internationally acceptable measure of obesity. BMI is essentially just a comparison of your height and weight, and is quite easy to calculate.

It can be done in either the Imperial scale (which measures weight in pounds) or the Metric Scale (where weight is measured in Kilograms). All you need to know is your correct height and weight. The calculation is simple, and you may not even need a calculator!

BMI Calculation Formulaes

If you’re measuring in pounds, here’s the formula:

BMI = Weight in pounds x 703
______________________
Height in inches 2

For calculating your BMI using Kilograms, the formula is

BMI = Weight in kgs
______________________
Height in metres 2

For instance, if a person who is 5’8’’ and weighs 140 pounds, his BMI will be 21.2 ( 140 x 703 / 68 x 68).

Once you calculate you BMI, you can compare it to a scale which will tell you your weight status. Different countries use different scales, but this is the scale suggested by the US Department of Health and Human Services:

BMI Weight Status

Below 18.5                               Underweight
18.5-24.9          Normal
25 – 29.9                                 Overweight
Above 30       Obese

If the scale shows you that you’re underweight or overweight, this may be a good time for you to start a new exercise and diet regime. Of course, the best range for you to be in is between 18.5 and 24.9. If you’re above or below this, you may want to consider a new weight training program to help you lose or gain weight. This needs to go hand in hand with aerobic exercise, stretching and eating healthy.

Keep in mind, though, that BMI should just be considered a guideline to your status, and is not a litmus test of your health. It does not take into consideration many factors like body type or muscle weight and does not work too well for those who are extremely tall. For instance, bodybuilders usually weigh much more than the average person, but cannot be considered obese in any way.

Other tests that you can use to measure the fat percentage on your body include the Skin Fold Test, where your skin is pinched to measure fat, or the Bio Electrical Impedance test, where a mild electric current is passed through your skin to measure the fat. Both these tests are more advanced. But for the lay person, who just wants to have a basic idea of his fitness, the BMI is the best measure.