What is your BMI (Body Mass Index)?

Calculating your BMI is a simple way to estimate your total amount of body fat. The equation to work out your BMI is:

Weight (in kg's) divided by Height in m2

For example:
A person who is 170cm tall and weighs 67kg would have a BMI of 23. This is because:

67 divided by 1.7squared equals 23.18
or 67 / 2.89 = 23.18

The ideal range for BMI is between 20 and 25. Below 20 is considered underweight, while between 26 and 30 is overweight and over 31 is obese. These figures are only intended to be used as a guide and are suitable only for people aged between 18 and 74.

What if my BMI is not what I thought?
There are certain factors which may give you a result higher or lower than you expected, these include:

- Muscle mass (having a high muscle mass will increase your result, but does not necessarily mean you are overweight). This generally effects body builders and performance athletes.
- Pregnancy will increase your result
- When you are above 75, the BMI will commonly give you an underestimation of your body fat. See your doctor for advice on a healthy weight range.