The New Interactive BMI Calculator

For nearly 200 years now, medical professionals the world over have used the universally accepted Body Mass Index (BMI) to help assess the overall state of a person’s health.

Experts have identified a flaw in the basic BMI formula and have recently come up with a new calculation which presents a more realistic result as it scales more accurately in relation to a person’s height.

New BMI

Enter information:

Weight: lbs

Height: in

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The New BMI and Standard BMI Formulas

New BMI: 1.3 x weight(kg)/height(m)^2.5
Standard BMI: weight(kg)/height(m)²

BMI Weight Status Categories For Adults

18.5 Underweight
18.5-25 Healthy range
25+ Overweight
30+ Obese
40+ Morbidly Obese

BMI Shortcomings

Traditionally BMI is measured by a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters – the acceptable range for BMI is between 18.5 and 25.

The main problem with the current method for measuring BMI is that it divides the weight by too large a number for shorter people, and by too small a number for taller people. In that way, short people are misled into thinking they are thinner than they actually are, and tall people conversely believe they are fatter.

Example

For example, a man measuring 190cm tall and weighing 95kgs would have a BMI of 26.3 using the old system, which would class him as overweight, whereas the new system would class him as within acceptable range at 24.8
Likewise, a woman measuring 155cm and weighing 59kg would find herself within acceptable range under the old system with a BMI of 24.6, however the new system would class her as overweight at 25.6

To discover your BMI on our handy interactive calculator using both the old and new formulas, simply choose between imperial or metric measurements, then enter your height and weight, and press ‘Go’. Instantly you will be able to see the differences between the traditional and revised BMI calculations, and discover whether or not your weight falls within the acceptable guidelines for your height.