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Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator

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Body mass index, or BMI, is one way to look at whether a person is at a healthy weight. BMI is a number based on height and weight. It can be used to place a person in categories ranging from underweight to obese. 

Many doctors and experts have concerns about how BMI can be used. While BMI can be helpful in some cases, it doesn’t work well for everybody. Experts agree that BMI should not be the only tool or measurement used and that there are other things to think about when figuring out what someone's ideal weight range might be. For example, if you have a BMI outside the normal range, your health care provider might also look at skinfold thickness (a measure of body fat), waist size, evaluations of your diet and family health problems, blood sugar levels, and other factors to find out if your weight might pose a health risk.

To learn more about BMI and how extra body weight can affect your risk of cancer, see Body Weight and Cancer Risk.

Calculate Your BMI

Enter your height and weight below to find your body mass index (BMI)

Height

Weight

Your BMI is

26.5

Underweight

Below 18.5

Normal weight

18.5-24.9

Overweight

25-29.9

Obese

30 and higher

Note: The BMI may not be accurate for people with greater muscle mass (such as athletes) or in older people and others who have lost muscle mass.

If you are overweight or obese, even a small weight loss (10% of your current weight) can lower your risk of several diseases. People who are overweight or obese have a greater chance of developing several types of cancer—including colorectal cancer and breast cancer (for women past menopause)—as well as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol or other lipid disorders, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Being very underweight – especially if you’ve had rapid or unintentional weight loss – can also be a sign of health problems.

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