Body Mass Index (BMI) is basically an index of weight-for-height. It’s used to determine if an adult person is underweight, normal, overweight and obese. Knowing whether you fall under any of these classifications would help open your eyes on the the possible health risks you are facing.

The formula for BMI is as follows:

Body Mass Index Formula

So for example, you are 5′8 and 150lbs, your BMI will be 22.80 (rounded up to two decimal places).

Now going by the following chart showing the BMI classification ranges, 22.80 falls in the normal range.

Classification BMI(kg/m²)
Principal cut-off points Additional cut-off points
Underweight <18.50 <18.50
Severe thinness <16.00 <16.00
Moderate thinness 16.00 - 16.99 16.00 - 16.99
Mild thinness 17.00 - 18.49 17.00 - 18.49
Normal range 18.50 - 24.99 18.50 - 22.99
23.00 - 24.99
Overweight ≥25.00 ≥25.00
Pre-obese 25.00 - 29.99 25.00 - 27.49
27.50 - 29.99
Obese ≥30.00 ≥30.00
Obese class I 30.00 - 34-99 30.00 - 32.49
32.50 - 34.99
Obese class II 35.00 - 39.99 35.00 - 37.49
37.50 - 39.99
Obese class III ≥40.00 ≥40.00

Now, there are still some factors to be included in determining your fitness. Even your body type (whether you’re a mesomorph or an endomorph…) plays a huge role in your outlook. So if in doubt, consult a trainer or a dietician.

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