If you are finding this page from a search, then you probably are wanting to know what your BMI is so you can compare yourself to “normal”.  All you need to calculate your BMI is your height and weight.  Below is a free online BMI calculator written in C# and loaded via WordPress.  Just enter your height (in inches) and weight (in pounds) and you’ll get a BMI score.

After you get your BMI see below to determine where you are compared to “normal”.

BMI Chart Spreadsheet

If you don’t care what your exact BMI is to two decimal points, you can also use the free online BMI chart spreadsheet below.  Find your height and weight on the chart to estimate your BMI.    Just in case you want to see the formulas, you can download the bmi-chart-spreadsheet too.

(Click to Enlarge BMI Chart)

Next, you’ll want to see how you compare to “normal”.  Are you underweight, overweight, normal, or worse, OBESE?

What BMI is considered overweight or OBESE?

• Overweight: BMI between 25 and 29.9
• OBESE: BMI of 30 or higher

BMI	Weight Status
Below 18.5	Underweight
18.5 – 24.9	Normal
25.0 – 29.9	Overweight
30.0 and Above	OBESE

• “Underweight“: You are likely envied by everyone else on the chart, but being overly thin can be just as dangerous as being overweight.
• “Normal“: The BMI is considered a “rule of thumb” by most and if you are in this range, you’re overall weight isn’t necessarily a problem.
• “Overweight“: You are likely at more risk of many health problems and you need to get your weight down in a healthy way.
• “OBESE“: You’ve got problems with your weight right now and likely more problems with your health are on the way.

There are exceptions to this and any rule of thumb.  If you are worried about your BMI or it just doesn’t seem right, see your doctor.

BMI Formulas – How to Calculate BMI

If you use the chart or calculator above, you don’t need to calculate your BMI.  But just in case you want to, the generally accepted formula for calculating BMI is your weight divided by your height squared:

• American (Imperial) Units:  (Weight in pounds X 703 ) divided by (height in inches^2)

• Metric Units:  (Weight in Kilograms) divided by (height in meters^2)

There are other ways of calculating BMI for children and other groups of people.  The BMI calculation shown here is for a typical adult.

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Most Popular Obesity Statistic

According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), 65% of American adults are overweight [1].   Check the study yourself!

• 65% of adults were overweight
• 30% were considered OBESE
• 5% were considered extremely OBESE
• 16% of kids were overweight

Obesity Statistics Even Worse

Since the study above was published, obesity statistics got worse, according to the CDC [2]:

• 34% of American adults are OBESE
• 40% of men aged 40-59 are OBESE
• 61% of non-Hispanic black women 60 and older are OBESE

These are just some of the statistics I was amazed to read on the CDC’s site.  I don’t like it anymore than you do.

Obesity Statistics in Children

The following graph shows percentage of children who are overweight over time.  It is amazing to me how the percentage of overweight children has quadrupled in the last 30 years!  The definition of “overweight” was: “children with BMI values at or above the 95th percentile of the sex-specific BMI growth charts.” [3]

Data for this graph came from the CDC’s site [3].

Obesity Definition versus Overweight Definition

• Overweight: BMI between 25 and 29.9
• OBESE: BMI of 30 or higher

BMI	Weight Status
Below 18.5	Underweight
18.5 – 24.9	Normal
25.0 – 29.9	Overweight
30.0 and Above	OBESE

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[1]  Hedley A. A., Ogden C. L., Johnson C. L., Carroll M. D., Curtin L. R., Flegal K. M. (2004) Prevalence of overweight and obesity among US children, adolescents, and adults, 1999–2002. JAMA 291:2847–2850.

[2] Obesity Among Adults in the United States–No Statistically Significant Change Since 2003-2004. Data Brief Number 1, November 2007. 8 pp.

[3] National Health Examination Surveys II (ages 6-11) and III (ages 12-17), National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys I,II,III and 1999-2004, NCHS, CDC. (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/overweight/overwght_child_03.htm#Table%201.)

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