1. What is BMI?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity in adults. For Asian populations, the BMI categories are adjusted to reflect higher health risks at lower BMI levels compared to Caucasian populations.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the standard BMI formula:

Where:

• \( weight \) — Body weight in kilograms
• \( height \) — Height in meters

3. Asian BMI Categories

For Asian populations:

• Underweight: BMI < 18.5
• Normal weight: BMI 18.5-22.9
• Overweight: BMI 23-27.4
• Obese: BMI ≥ 27.5

These thresholds are lower than for Caucasian populations because Asians have higher body fat percentages at the same BMI levels and higher risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease at lower BMI levels.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in meters. For height, you can convert from cm to m by dividing by 100 (e.g., 170 cm = 1.70 m).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why are BMI categories different for Asians?
A: Asians have higher body fat percentages at lower BMIs and higher risks of obesity-related diseases at lower BMI thresholds compared to Caucasians.

Q2: Is BMI accurate for athletes?
A: BMI may overestimate body fat in muscular athletes and underestimate it in older people who have lost muscle mass.

Q3: What's a healthy BMI range for Asians?
A: For most Asian adults, a BMI between 18.5 and 22.9 is considered healthy, though individual factors should be considered.

Q4: Should children use this calculator?
A: No, BMI interpretation for children requires age- and sex-specific percentiles.

Q5: What are alternatives to BMI?
A: Waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat percentage measurements may provide additional information.