1. What is BMI?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple calculation using a person's height and weight. The formula is the same for both men and women. BMI is a screening tool that may indicate whether a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.

2. How to Calculate BMI

The BMI formula is:

Where:

• Weight — in kilograms (kg)
• Height — in meters (m)

Example: For a person who weighs 70 kg and is 1.75 m tall:
BMI = 70 / (1.75 × 1.75) = 22.9 kg/m²

3. BMI Categories

Standard BMI Categories:

• Underweight: BMI < 18.5
• Normal weight: BMI 18.5-24.9
• Overweight: BMI 25-29.9
• Obese: BMI ≥ 30

Note: These categories are the same for both men and women.

4. Using the Calculator

Instructions: Enter your weight in kilograms and height in meters. For height, you can convert from cm to m by dividing by 100 (e.g., 175 cm = 1.75 m).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is BMI different for men and women?
A: No, the BMI formula is the same for both genders. However, body composition differences mean the same BMI may represent different body fat percentages.

Q2: What are the limitations of BMI?
A: BMI doesn't distinguish between muscle and fat, so athletes may have high BMI without excess fat. It also doesn't account for fat distribution.

Q3: Is BMI accurate for all ethnic groups?
A: BMI categories may need adjustment for some ethnic groups (e.g., Asian populations may have higher health risks at lower BMIs).

Q4: Can children use this calculator?
A: Children need age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles rather than adult categories.

Q5: What's a healthy BMI range?
A: For most adults, 18.5-24.9 is considered healthy, but individual factors should be considered.