Determine your Body Mass Index and Waist Size
While there are many things to consider that can influence risk factors standing in the way of your optimal health, being at an unhealthy weight not only impacts your self-esteem, it can contribute to a higher risk of many medical conditions.
There are several ways to find out if your weight is on track, including talking to your doctor. Determining your Body Mass Index and waist size provides a quick assessment, so that you have a starting point if you do determine that weight loss is something you want to pursue.
Here’s how
Determining your Body Mass Index and waist size can provide a starting point for you to see whether you are at a healthy weight. Use both measurements as a benchmark to gauge your progress, and talk to your doctor before beginning any physical fitness routine.
BMI
People with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater are considered overweight, while those with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese. Use the following formula to calculate your BMI, or use the below chart to quickly identify your number:
1 foot = 12 inches
inches² = inches x inches
| BMI Formula: |
| BMI = (kg/m²) |
(weight in pounds x 703) |
 |
| height in inches² |
Body Mass Index Chart
| BMI |
Height (in) |
| 58 |
59 |
60 |
61 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
75 |
76 |
| Wgt. (lbs) |
4'10' |
4'11' |
5'0' |
5'1' |
5'2' |
5'3' |
5'4' |
5'5' |
5'6' |
5'7' |
5'8' |
5'9' |
5'10' |
5'11' |
6'0' |
6'1' |
6'2' |
6'3' |
6'4' |
| 100 |
21 |
20 |
20 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
14 |
14 |
14 |
13 |
13 |
13 |
12 |
| 105 |
22 |
21 |
21 |
20 |
19 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
14 |
14 |
14 |
13 |
13 |
| 110 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
21 |
20 |
20 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
14 |
14 |
13 |
| 115 |
24 |
23 |
23 |
22 |
21 |
20 |
20 |
19 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
14 |
14 |
| 120 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
23 |
22 |
21 |
21 |
20 |
19 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
| 125 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
21 |
20 |
20 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
17 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
| 130 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
21 |
20 |
20 |
19 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
| 135 |
28 |
27 |
26 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
23 |
22 |
21 |
21 |
20 |
19 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
17 |
16 |
| 140 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
23 |
22 |
21 |
21 |
20 |
20 |
19 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
| 145 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
23 |
22 |
21 |
21 |
20 |
20 |
19 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
| 150 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
21 |
20 |
20 |
19 |
19 |
18 |
| 155 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
28 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
21 |
20 |
20 |
19 |
19 |
| 160 |
34 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
28 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
21 |
21 |
20 |
20 |
| 165 |
35 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
28 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
21 |
21 |
20 |
| 170 |
36 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
21 |
21 |
| 175 |
37 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
23 |
22 |
21 |
| 180 |
38 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
23 |
22 |
| 185 |
39 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
23 |
| 190 |
40 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
| 195 |
41 |
39 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
| 200 |
42 |
40 |
39 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
26 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
| 205 |
43 |
41 |
40 |
39 |
38 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
26 |
26 |
25 |
| 210 |
44 |
43 |
41 |
40 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
26 |
26 |
| 215 |
45 |
44 |
42 |
41 |
39 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
28 |
27 |
26 |
| 220 |
46 |
45 |
43 |
42 |
40 |
39 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
28 |
27 |
| 225 |
47 |
46 |
44 |
43 |
41 |
40 |
39 |
38 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
| 230 |
48 |
47 |
45 |
44 |
42 |
41 |
40 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
| 235 |
49 |
48 |
46 |
44 |
43 |
42 |
40 |
39 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
29 |
| 240 |
50 |
49 |
47 |
45 |
44 |
43 |
41 |
40 |
39 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
| 245 |
51 |
50 |
48 |
46 |
45 |
43 |
42 |
41 |
40 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
| 250 |
52 |
51 |
49 |
47 |
46 |
44 |
43 |
42 |
40 |
39 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
| 255 |
53 |
52 |
50 |
48 |
47 |
45 |
44 |
43 |
41 |
40 |
39 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
| 260 |
54 |
53 |
51 |
49 |
48 |
46 |
45 |
43 |
42 |
41 |
40 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
33 |
32 |
| 265 |
56 |
54 |
52 |
50 |
49 |
47 |
46 |
44 |
43 |
42 |
40 |
39 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
32 |
| 270 |
57 |
55 |
53 |
51 |
49 |
48 |
46 |
45 |
44 |
42 |
41 |
40 |
39 |
38 |
37 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
| 275 |
58 |
56 |
54 |
52 |
50 |
49 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Waist Size
One drawback of solely relying on your BMI number is that it doesn’t factor in body composition. For example, an athlete might have very little body fat, yet still have a BMI over 25 due to a larger percentage of muscle.
Waist size gives a good indication of the amount of fat a person is carrying, particularly around the stomach area. Most doctors recommend a waist size of under 37 inches for men and 32 inches for women.
Abdominal fat and excess weight are risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other health complications.
Measure your waist about an inch above your belly button. Use the following chart to see if you have an increased risk.
| Risk of Associated Disease According to BMI and Waist Size |
| BMI |
|
Waist less than or equal to
40 in. (men) or
35 in. (women) |
Waist greater than
40 in. (men) or
35 in. (women) |
| 18.5 or less |
Underweight |
– |
N/A |
| 18.5 - 24.9 |
Normal |
– |
N/A |
| 25.0 - 29.9 |
Overweight |
Increased |
High |
| 30.0 - 34.9 |
Obese |
High |
Very High |
| 35.0 - 39.9 |
Obese |
Very High |
Very High |
| 40 or greater |
Extremely Obese |
Extremely High |
Extremely High |
Take action!
Put your BMI number and waist size to good use. Determine what a healthy BMI number and waist size is for you and start working toward those goals.
Many people find that setting small, achievable weight-loss goals is more realistic than aiming to lose a large amount of weight all at once. Losing weight is a matter of math. Basically, you need to burn more calories than you consume. One pound equals 3,500 calories, so every time you create that amount of a calorie deficit, you’ll lose a pound!
Physical activity, included in a structured exercise program or just part of your daily routine, can help you lose weight. Exercises such as swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, dancing, and walking can help your heart. Make a list of ways you can sneak in more calorie-burning exercise and combine it with a healthy eating plan and watch that BMI number – and your waist size – drop!
Examples include taking the stairs at work, parking farther away when you shop at the grocery store, lifting light hand weights while you watch TV, signing up for a kickboxing or yoga class, or chasing the kids around the yard. Whatever motivates you to move, with the aim of increasing to at least 30 minutes per day of physical activity. |