This BMI calculator turns your height in cm and weight in kg into a body mass index, then tells you which band it falls in. You get two readings: the WHO band used worldwide and the stricter Indian adult band that doctors in India use, plus the weight range that would put you in the healthy zone.
BMI is a screening number, not a diagnosis. It cannot see muscle, bone or where fat sits on the body. Use it as a starting point, then look at waist size and the other calculators on this site to get a fuller picture.
Quick numbers
Formula
weight (kg) ÷ height (m)²Healthy, WHO
18.5 to 24.9Healthy, Indian adults
18.5 to 22.9Overweight, Indian adults
23 to 24.9Obese, Indian adults
25 and above
How to use this BMI calculator in kg and cm
Type your height and your weight in the boxes above. Height can be entered in centimetres or in feet and inches; weight in kilograms or pounds. The answer updates as you type, so there is no button to press.
Weigh yourself in the morning, after the toilet and before breakfast, in light clothes. Measure height against a wall without shoes, heels together, looking straight ahead. Small errors matter: 2 cm of height changes the result by about 0.5 for most adults.
Example: a person 165 cm tall who weighs 65 kg has a BMI of 23.9. That sits in the WHO normal band but in the Indian overweight band, so the calculator shows both and explains the gap.
What your BMI number means
| BMI | WHO band | Band for Indian adults |
|---|---|---|
| Below 18.5 | Underweight | Underweight |
| 18.5 to 22.9 | Normal | Normal |
| 23 to 24.9 | Normal | Overweight |
| 25 to 29.9 | Overweight | Obese |
| 30 to 34.9 | Obese class 1 | Obese |
| 35 and above | Obese class 2 and 3 | Obese |
The two lists agree at the low end and split from 23 upward. Large studies of people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka found that type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and fatty liver start to rise at a lower BMI than in Europeans, because more of the weight is fat around the organs. That is why Indian guidelines draw the overweight line at 23 and the obesity line at 25.
Healthy weight for your height
Turn the BMI bands around and you get a weight range for any height. The table uses the Indian adult bands; the WHO upper limit is higher, and the calculator shows it too.
| Height | Underweight (kg) | Healthy (kg) | Overweight (kg) | Obese (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 cm (4'11) | below 41.6 | 41.6 to 51.5 | 51.5 to 56.2 | 56.2 and above |
| 155 cm (5'1) | below 44.4 | 44.4 to 55.0 | 55.0 to 60.1 | 60.1 and above |
| 160 cm (5'3) | below 47.4 | 47.4 to 58.6 | 58.6 to 64.0 | 64.0 and above |
| 165 cm (5'5) | below 50.4 | 50.4 to 62.3 | 62.3 to 68.1 | 68.1 and above |
| 170 cm (5'7) | below 53.5 | 53.5 to 66.2 | 66.2 to 72.2 | 72.2 and above |
| 175 cm (5'9) | below 56.7 | 56.7 to 70.1 | 70.1 to 76.6 | 76.6 and above |
| 180 cm (5'11) | below 59.9 | 59.9 to 74.2 | 74.2 to 81.0 | 81.0 and above |
| 185 cm (6'1) | below 63.3 | 63.3 to 78.4 | 78.4 to 85.6 | 85.6 and above |
For a full list of every height from 4 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 4 inches, with ideal weight formulas for men and women, see the height and weight chart or open the page for your own height, such as 5 feet 3 inches or 5 feet 7 inches.
Why BMI can mislead
- Muscle. A wrestler or a gym regular can score 27 with little body fat. Pair BMI with a waist check or the body fat calculator.
- Older age. People lose muscle after 60, so a normal BMI can hide extra fat. Some doctors are comfortable with a slightly higher BMI in older adults.
- Pregnancy. Skip BMI while expecting. Use your weight from before pregnancy in the pregnancy weight gain calculator.
- Children and teens. A child's BMI has to be compared with others of the same age and sex. Use the BMI calculator for kids instead of the adult bands.
- Very short or very tall people. The formula squares height, which slightly flatters tall people and penalises short ones.
Check your waist as well
Waist size tells you where the weight sits, which BMI cannot. Measure around the belly at the level of the navel, breathing out normally. For Indian adults, a waist above 90 cm in men or 80 cm in women points to extra fat around the organs even when BMI looks fine.
Another quick check is waist to height: keep your waist below half of your height. A person 160 cm tall should aim for a waist under 80 cm.
BMI for men, women and different ages
Adults of both sexes, from 18 up, are scored with one formula and one band list. A woman typically has a higher fat share than a man with an equal score, which is normal biology rather than a flaw in the tool. Separate pages explain this in more depth: BMI for women, BMI for men, BMI by age and the BMI calculator for Indians.
If you think in feet and pounds, the kg and feet version shows the imperial formula with a worked example, and the BMI formula page walks through the maths step by step.
Your next step after the BMI result
A number on its own does not change anything. Pick the tool that fits your goal:
- Ideal weight calculator for a target weight using four medical formulas.
- Calorie calculator to find how much to eat to keep, lose or gain weight.
- BMR calculator and TDEE calculator to see how many calories your body uses.
- Protein calculator for your daily protein in grams.
- Calorie burn calculator and steps to km converter for exercise and walking.
If your BMI is below 17 or above 30, or your weight changed by more than 5 percent in six months without trying, book a check with a doctor. Sudden weight change can be the first sign of thyroid trouble, diabetes or other illness.
Every calculator and guide on this site
This site is built around one question at a time. The home page you are on is the main BMI tool, and four hubs group everything else: calories and nutrition, ideal weight, calories burned in exercise and steps and distance. The full list of pages sits just below, grouped by topic, so any answer is two taps away.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my BMI in kg and cm?
Divide your weight in kilograms by your height in metres multiplied by itself. For 60 kg and 160 cm, that is 60 ÷ (1.6 × 1.6) = 23.4. The calculator above does this for you and shows the band.
What is a normal BMI for adults in India?
Indian guidelines treat 18.5 to 22.9 as normal, 23 to 24.9 as overweight and 25 or more as obese. The WHO normal band runs up to 24.9 and is used in most other countries.
Is this BMI calculator accurate?
The maths is exact, but BMI itself is only a rough guide to body fat. It works well for groups of people and less well for a muscular person, an older adult or anyone very short or tall.
Does BMI change with age?
Not for adults: the same bands apply from 18 onward. For children and teens, BMI is read against age and sex charts, which is why there is a separate calculator for kids.
What BMI is considered obese?
Under WHO bands, 30 or more. Under the Indian adult bands, 25 or more, because health risks climb sooner for South Asians.
Should I use BMI or body fat percentage?
Use both if you can. BMI is quick and needs only a scale and a tape. Body fat percentage, from the navy tape method or a scan, shows how much of your weight is fat and how much is lean tissue.
Sources
- World Health Organization BMI classification
- Indian consensus guidelines on obesity for Asian Indians