Your body mass index is a relationship between weight and height. It is used to assess body fat and health risks that are associated with being overweight.
Here’s a handy little calculator but in case you were curious we’ve written out the instructions for it also.
[bmi]
Here is how to calculate it because some people just like math…
Most Body Mass Indexes calculate using kilograms and centimeters, but because we are in the United States, we are going to show you how to do it using the pounds, feet, and inches we are accustomed to using.
First:
Multiply your weight in pounds by 0.45.
This converts your weight to those pesky metric units.
Second:
Multiply your height in inches by 0.025.
This does another metric conversion. In case you forgot, there are 12 inches to a foot, so 5’4” = 64 inches.
Third:
Square the answer from the second step. This means to multiply the number by itself. From the example above, 64 x 0.025 =1.6.
So, for this step you multiply 1.6 x 1.6 = 2.56.
Finally:
Divide the answer from step 1 by the answer from step 3.
This is your Body Mass Index.
Mass Index Ranges
Normal: 18.5 – 24.9
Overweight: 25 – 29.9
Obese: 30 and over
