Metabolic Disorders  
Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Body Mass Index Table

About the Body Mass Index Table

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement that is one way of evaluating and comparing your height to your body weight. The BMI is often used, but is not the only tool, or even always the most accurate, to determine if you are overweight, underweight, or in a desirable range.

The BMI should be used as a guideline but persons that are very muscular may weigh more (muscles weighs more than fat) than a BMI considers healthy.  It is important to remember that a "normal" body weight is only part of being healthy.  There are those that are "skinny" but can still have significant risks and health problems due to inactivity, high stress, smoking, or other factors.

Although being overweight does increase your risk for certain problems including high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and diabetes, even thin persons can develop these problems too.  Still, losing weight has been shown to reduce the risk of health problems and can go a long way towards preventing or controlling type 2 diabetes, and even improve fertility in those that suffer from certain types of infertility.

To use the BMI:

1. Find your height in the left column.
2. Move across the same row to the number closets to your current weight. The number at the top of that column is your BMI.
3. Check the word above your BMI to see whether you are normal weight, overweight, or obese.

If you are overweight or obese, talk with your doctor about ways to lose weight to reduce your risk of diabetes.

For dozens of links to calculators and health-related charts, including BMI, calorie counters, exercise (calories burned), hidden carb counters, visit our section on Nutritional Counters.

Body Mass Index Table