Overweight Calculator
Type your height and weight, in feet, inches and pounds or in centimeters and kilograms, and the calculator returns your BMI and the adult category it falls in. Overweight starts at a BMI of 25.0 and obese at 30.0. The category is a screening result, not a verdict on your health. The result does not say how many pounds put you above a BMI of 24.9. The formula below shows how to work that out by hand.
How to use the Overweight Calculator
- Enter your numbers in the Overweight Calculator above.
- Press the Calculate BMI button to see the result.
- To try other numbers, change any value and press the button again.
The excess weight calculation
BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height (m)² or 703 × weight (lb) ÷ height (in)² Excess (kg) = weight (kg) − 24.9 × height (m)² Excess (lb) = weight (lb) − 24.9 × height (in)² ÷ 703
WHO and the CDC count an adult BMI of 25 or more as overweight and 30 or more as obesity. The calculator uses the same cut-offs, so 24.9 prints as Normal weight and 25.0 as Overweight. It reads the category from the BMI as printed, to two decimals. Excess weight here is the difference between your current weight and the weight at a BMI of exactly 24.9, a round target just under the line. The CDC calls 18.5 to under 25 healthy weight, and this calculator prints that range as Normal weight.
Worked example
A 5'10" (70 in) adult weighing 200 lb: BMI = 703 × 200 ÷ 70² = 28.69, which prints as Overweight. Weight at a BMI of 24.9 = 24.9 × 70² ÷ 703 = 173.6 lb. Excess: 200 − 173.6 = 26.4 lb, about 12 kg. In metric, 178 cm and 90 kg give 90 ÷ 1.78² = 28.41, and the excess is 90 − 24.9 × 1.78² = 11.1 kg.
Frequently asked questions
Is BMI the right measure?
It is a screening measure of weight relative to height. The CDC says it does not directly measure body fat and does not separate fat, muscle and bone, so a high BMI can come from muscle. NHLBI says a waist of more than 35 inches for women or more than 40 inches for men increases health risk.
Does an overweight BMI mean I am unhealthy?
This calculator cannot tell you that. It only reads a category from your height and weight. The CDC says BMI should be considered with other factors, such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Ask your healthcare provider what your BMI means for you.
How fast should weight come off?
The CDC says people who lose weight at a gradual pace, about 1 to 2 pounds a week, are more likely to keep it off. At that pace, the 26.4 lb in the worked example takes about 13 to 26 weeks. A healthcare provider can say what suits you.
Does this work for children and teens?
No. The categories here are for adults. The CDC applies them from age 20. WHO uses BMI-for-age for children and adolescents, and NHLBI says a child's BMI should be compared to growth charts specific to age and sex.