1. What is BMI?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify underweight, overweight and obesity in adults. For Indian population, different cutoff values are used compared to international standards due to higher risk of metabolic diseases at lower BMI levels.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the standard BMI formula:

Where:

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

3. Indian-Specific BMI Cutoffs

Indian Standards:

• Underweight: BMI < 18.5 kg/m²
• Normal weight: 18.5-22.9 kg/m²
• Overweight (At risk): 23-24.9 kg/m²
• Overweight (Obese class I): 25-29.9 kg/m²
• Overweight (Obese class II): ≥30 kg/m²

These cutoffs are lower than international standards because Indians have higher body fat percentage at lower BMI levels and greater risk of metabolic diseases.

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 different BMI standards for Indians?
A: Indians have higher body fat percentage at lower BMI levels and greater risk of diabetes and heart disease at lower BMI compared to Caucasians.

Q2: Is BMI accurate for athletes?
A: No, BMI may overestimate body fat in muscular individuals and underestimate it in older people who have lost muscle mass.

Q3: What's the ideal BMI for Indians?
A: For Indians, maintaining BMI between 18.5-22.9 kg/m² is considered ideal for lowest health risks.

Q4: Should children use this calculator?
A: No, children and teens need age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles rather than adult categories.

Q5: What other measurements are important?
A: Waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio provide additional information about fat distribution and health risks.