Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body mass index (or BMI) is a calculation that is supposed to more accurately reflect total body fat than the old height/weight tables. Since muscle mass is heavier than fat mass, very muscular people can be heavier than what the older height/weight tables had listed as ideal body weight, yet they have very little fat mass.

BMI is a calculation, and the equation is as follows:

BMI= weight in Kg / height in meters squared

Overweight = BMI of 26-29

Obesity = 30 or more

The table provided in the pdf document below is a quick guide to figuring out your BMI.

Also remember that this is only a guide, and is not definitive for everyone, but relatively accurate the further off the norm one goes.

Body Mass Index (BMI) Table

If you do not have a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, you may obtain a free copy here.