BMI Calculator

Body-mass index is weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Clinics still use it as a crude screening number, not as a verdict on health. This page reports BMI and a WHO-style category band. It is not medical advice, not a prescription, and not a substitute for a clinician who can see you in the room.

A screening number, not a diagnosis

Office workers in Gurugram and students in Manipal often meet BMI first in a campus health camp or a gym onboarding form. The number is easy to game with water weight and useless for athletes with high muscle mass. IndiaKit still offers it because many Indian forms ask for it, with a clear warning that categories are population shortcuts.

The estimate we use

BMI = kg / (m²). Height is entered in centimetres and converted. Defaults of 68 kg and 172 cm give about 23, which this page labels in the healthy range (18.5–24.9) using the common WHO adult bands.

Asian-population research sometimes discusses lower overweight thresholds. This tool does not switch ethnicity tables. If a hospital in Chennai or a sports physician uses a different cut-off, follow that clinic.

BMI ignores waist, blood pressure, glucose and family history. Pair it with clinical care, not with a crash diet advertised on social media.

68 kg at 172 cm in a Hyderabad campus clinic

Sanjay, 172 cm and 68 kg, is filling a university hostel medical form in Hyderabad. BMI computes to about 23, inside the 18.5–24.9 band this page calls a healthy range. The nurse still records waist and blood pressure; the form asked for BMI, not for a diagnosis.

See a clinician if a number worries you

Not medical advice. Pregnancy, childhood, bodybuilding and some endocrine conditions make BMI misleading. WHO adult bands are a screening language, not a treatment plan. Speak to a registered medical practitioner for decisions about diet or medication.

Common questions

Why can a cricketer show “overweight” on BMI and still be fit?

BMI cannot tell fat from muscle. A fast bowler in Mohali with high lean mass can sit above 25 and have a healthy metabolic profile. That is why this page is a number, not a clearance to play.

Do you use Asian BMI cut-offs?

No. The categories here follow the widely printed 18.5 / 25 / 30 adult bands. Some Indian hospitals discuss 23 as a review trigger. Ask your clinician which table they use.

Should children use this BMI calculator?

Paediatric BMI is plotted on age-sex growth charts, not on adult bands. Do not treat a 12-year-old’s adult-formula BMI as a clinical result.