What is a BMI Calculator?
Body mass index is weight divided by height squared. It is a rough screening number, not a diagnosis, but it is the number forms and insurers ask for.
Enter height and weight in centimetres and kilograms, or feet, inches and pounds, and get the BMI, the category it falls in, and the weight range that would put you in the healthy band at your height.
The World Health Organization bands (underweight below 18.5, healthy 18.5 to 24.9, overweight 25 to 29.9, obese 30 and above) were drawn from largely European populations. India and much of Asia use lower cutoffs, with overweight starting at 23, because cardiometabolic risk appears at a lower BMI. Both readings are shown so the number means what it should where you are.
Frequently asked questions
Is BMI accurate for everyone?
No. It cannot tell muscle from fat, so athletes read high and people with low muscle mass read low. It also says nothing about where fat sits, which is the part that matters most for risk. Treat it as a screening number that tells you whether a longer conversation is worth having.
Why does India use a lower cutoff?
Indian and other South Asian populations tend to carry more visceral fat at the same BMI, and show diabetes and heart risk earlier. Indian guidance commonly treats 23 and above as overweight and 25 and above as obese, rather than the WHO 25 and 30.
Does this send my measurements anywhere?
No. The arithmetic runs in your browser and nothing is transmitted or stored.
What is a healthy weight for my height?
The tool shows it directly: the range that puts you between 18.5 and 24.9 at the height you entered, alongside the lower Asian-Indian range.