What is The Body Mass Index (BMI)

The body mass index (BMI) is a commonly used method to determine whether your weight is healthy for your height.

For most adults, BMI ranges are as follows:

• Below 18.5 – underweight range
• 18.5 to 24.9 – healthy weight range
• 25 to 29.9 – overweight range
• 30 to 39.9 – obese range
• 40 or above – severely obese range

For individuals of South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African, or African-Caribbean heritage, lower BMI thresholds are used to assess overweight and obesity:

• 23 to 27.4 – overweight range
• 27.5 or above – obese range