The body mass index (BMI), or Quetelet index, is defined as a value derived from the mass (weight) and height of an individual. The BMI is defined as the body mass divided by the square of the body height, and is universally expressed in units of kg/m2, resulting from weight in kilograms and height in meters. If pounds and inches are used, a conversion factor of 703 (kg/m2)/(lb/in2) must be applied. When the term BMI is used informally, the units are usually omitted. A high BMI can be an indicator of high body fatness. BMI can be used as a screening tool but is not diagnostic of the body fatness or health of an individual.
"It is important to have your doctor perform regular BMI measurements for your child so the doctor can discuss the results with you."
So what exactly is Body Mass Index (BMI)? BMI is a calculation that uses height and weight measurements to calculate how much body fat a person has. Doctors often use a BMI calculation to determine if a child's weight is appropriate for their height and age.
According to the CDC National Center for Health Statistics BMI, height, and weight percentiles show how your child compares to other children. For example, if you are 40th percentile in height, that means that you are taller than 40 out of 100 typical children of the same age and sex. If you are 70th percentile in weight that means your child is heavier than 70 out of 100 kids.
The Child BMI calculator below determines if your child is at a healthy weight for their age (up to 20 years of age), simply enter the required information and calculate their BMI level.
You can also check your child's height to weight ratio - Height to Weight Chart for Children.
NOTE: For Adult male and female BMI measurements you will need to enter your information into our Body Mass Index Calculator for grownups. In addition you may wish to try our Height to Weight Ratio Chart to measure an average adult's height/weight ratio.
NOTE: It is important to have your doctor perform regular BMI measurements for your child so the doctor can discuss the results with you.
BMI is calculated the same way for both adults and children. The calculation is based on the following formulas:
|Measurement Units||Formula and Calculation|
|Kilograms and meters (or centimeters)||Formula: weight (kg) / [height (m)]2
With the metric system, the formula for BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Since height is commonly measured in centimeters, divide height in centimeters by 100 to obtain height in meters.
Example: Weight = 68 kg, Height = 165 cm (1.65 m)
|Pounds and inches||Formula: weight (lb) / [height (in)]2 x 703
Calculate BMI by dividing weight in pounds (lbs) by height in inches (in) squared and multiplying by a conversion factor of 703.
Example: Weight = 150 lbs, Height = 5'5" (65")
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