Calculate your Body Mass Index (metric)

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

Source: Adapted from WHO, 1995, WHO, 2000 and WHO 2004.

The body mass index (BMI) or Quetelet Index is a measure for assessing weight relative to body size of a person.

BMI is a fairly reliable indicator of body fatness for most people.

It was developed by Adolphe Quetelet in 1871.

Obesity is a growing problem worldwide and BMI is primarily used as a reference to this danger.

BMI refers to the ratio of weight relative to body surface, estimated from the square of height.

BMI is only a rough estimate because it does not take into account the proportion of adipose tissue and muscle.