BMI Calculator

Find your Body Mass Index against Indian specific health ranges.

Inputs

cm
kg

Your BMI

24.2

Overweight (Indian range)

Healthy weight range for your height

Minimum
53.5 kg
Maximum
66.2 kg

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a quick screening number that estimates whether your weight is appropriate for your height. The Indian Council of Medical Research recommends slightly stricter cutoffs for Indians than the standard WHO ranges, because Indian populations have a higher tendency to develop metabolic disorders at lower BMIs.

Indian BMI ranges

Underweight is below 18.5. Normal sits between 18.5 and 22.9. Overweight is from 23 to 24.9, and obese begins at 25 and above. By comparison, the WHO classifies overweight only at 25 and obese at 30, which understates risk for South Asian body types.

Formula used

BMI equals weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. So a person who weighs 70 kg and is 1.70 metres tall has a BMI of 70 divided by (1.70 times 1.70), which works out to 24.2.

Limits of BMI

BMI does not distinguish between fat and muscle, so it can misclassify athletes as overweight. It also does not account for fat distribution, which matters because abdominal fat is more strongly linked to lifestyle disease than overall body fat. Use BMI as a starting point, not a final verdict.

Frequently asked questions

Indian and other South Asian populations show higher rates of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease at lower BMIs than European populations. The lower cutoffs help flag risk earlier.

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