Skip to content

BMI Calculator

BMI (Body Mass Index) gives a quick indication of whether your weight is appropriate for your height. Enter your weight and height to see your category instantly.

kg
cm

Result

22.9

Your BMI

Category
Healthy weight
How this was calculated
  1. 1Convert your height to metres175 cm รท 100 = 1.75 m
  2. 2Square your height1.75 ร— 1.75 = 3.0625
  3. 3Divide your weight by that number70 รท 3.0625 = 22.9

Formula

BMI = weight (kg) รท height (m)ยฒ

You divide your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in metres. Someone of 70 kg and 1.75 m therefore has a BMI of 70 รท (1.75 ร— 1.75) โ‰ˆ 22.9.

What the variables mean

BMI
Body Mass Index, the result
gewicht
Your body weight โ€” kilograms (kg)
lengte
Your body height โ€” metres (m)

Step by step

  1. 1Convert your height to metres (175 cm = 1.75 m).
  2. 2Square your height: 1.75 ร— 1.75 = 3.0625.
  3. 3Divide your weight by that number: 70 รท 3.0625 โ‰ˆ 22.9.
  4. 4Compare the result with the BMI table.

Worked examples

Weight 82 kg, height 180 cm

โ†’ BMI โ‰ˆ 25.3 โ†’ slightly overweight

Common mistakes

  • Entering height in centimetres without converting to metres.
  • Treating BMI as a medical diagnosis. It is only an indication.

Tips

  • Weigh yourself in the morning, after getting up and before breakfast, for the most consistent measurement.
  • Follow the trend over weeks rather than day to day. Your weight normally fluctuates by 1 to 2 kilos a day.

Important to know

  • BMI is not a medical diagnosis. A result outside the healthy range does not automatically mean you are unhealthy.
  • Do not use these values for children, pregnant women or elite athletes; different measures apply to those groups.

Advantages

  • Quick to calculate from just two figures you can measure yourself.
  • Standardised worldwide, which makes results comparable.

Limitations

  • BMI does not distinguish muscle from fat, so muscular people score too high.
  • The distribution of fat is ignored, while abdominal fat matters more for health.

When to use it

  • Keeping a broad eye on your health.
  • A starting point for a conversation with your doctor.

Frequently asked questions

What is a healthy BMI?

For adults, a BMI between 18.5 and 25 is considered a healthy weight according to the World Health Organization.

Is BMI accurate for athletes?

For very muscular people BMI can read too high, because muscle weighs more than fat. Use additional measurements in that case.

Does this BMI apply to children?

No. Children use separate age- and sex-specific growth charts instead of these fixed thresholds.

In summary

BMI is a useful starting point, not a verdict. Use it to spot a trend and discuss an unusual result with your doctor, alongside factors such as waist circumference, fitness and blood values.

Sources

Was this calculator helpful?