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Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify underweight, overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in metres (kg/m2). For example, an adult who weighs 70kg and whose height is 1.75m will have a BMI of 22.9.
BMI = 70 (kg) / 1.752 (m2) = 22.9
Table 1: The International Classification of adult underweight, overweight and obesity according to BMI
| Classification |
BMI(kg/m²) |
|
Principal cut-off points |
Additional cut-off points |
| Underweight |
<18.50 |
<18.50 |
| Severe thinness |
<16.00 |
<16.00 |
| Moderate thinness |
16.00 - 16.99 |
16.00 - 16.99 |
| Mild thinness |
17.00 - 18.49 |
17.00 - 18.49 |
| Normal range |
18.50 - 24.99 |
18.50 - 22.99 |
| 23.00 - 24.99 |
| Overweight |
≥25.00 |
≥25.00 |
| Pre-obese |
25.00 - 29.99 |
25.00 - 27.49 |
| 27.50 - 29.99 |
| Obese |
≥30.00 |
≥30.00 |
| Obese class I |
30.00 - 34-99 |
30.00 - 32.49 |
| 32.50 - 34.99 |
| Obese class II |
35.00 - 39.99 |
35.00 - 37.49 |
| 37.50 - 39.99 |
| Obese class III |
≥40.00 |
≥40.00 | Source: Adapted from WHO, 1995, WHO, 2000 and WHO 2004.
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