Knowing your Body Mass Index (BMI)
Body Mass Index Calculator
The Body Mass Index commonly referred to as your BMI is a measure of your body mass in relation to your height. It is a pointer to an individual’s nutritional status and a guide to overweight or obesity which are risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases.
The World Health Organisation has made recommendations based on research on what the ideal BMI should be.
BMI values however vary and may not apply to certain individuals such as children, pregnant women, elderly and highly muscular individuals. People of Asian origin have also been observed to develop health risks within a lower BMI range.
Calculate your BMI here by inserting measures of your height and weight into this calculator and check against the categories below:
| BMI CATEGORIES | VALUE RANGE |
| Underweight: | Less than 18.5 |
| Ideal or healthy weight: | 18.5 – 24.9 |
| Overweight/Pre-obesity: | 25.0 – 29.9 |
| Class 1 Obesity: | 30 – 34.9 |
| Class 2 Obesity: | 35.0 – 39.9 |
| Class 3/Severe Obesity: | 40 upwards |
Tips for taking your weight measurement
- Wear light clothing
- Empty your pockets
- Remove heavy jewellery or accessories
- Remove footwear
- Avoid weighing soon after a full meal
- Calibrate your scale before weighing
- Reading on the scale should be measured to the nearest gram or pound
Tips to follow when measuring your height
- Remove wigs or head gear
- Remove footwear
- Stand erect
- Measurement should be rounded off to the nearest inch or centimetre