Traveller's Tales

Body Mass Index Category Too slim 17–20 Underweight 20–25 You are in brilliant shape 25–30 Minor obesity 30–35 Unhealthy obesity 35–40 Extremly unhealthy obesity > 40 You are way too short!

This body mass index calculator is based on the standard BMI measurement that takes your weight and height and basically tells you if you have an unhealthy body weight. It works for adults, both men and women above age 19. It is a good indicator of the amount of body fat you have, which is directly related to the risk of various diseases and early death. The official formula, which is used in this BMI calculator, is [weight(kg) / (height(m) x height(m))] (it can be adjusted for different units like pounds and inches). One limitation is that it doesn't distinguish fat from muscle (which weighs more than fat). However, that really only matters for body builders, athletes and other people who have developed a lot of lean body mass. The BMI system was designed around an average person, and most people don't exercise regularly and need to lose some weight!