Body Mass Index Chart – Live it, Love it, Learn it

For a while, now, I’ve been promising to post an easy-to-use Body Mass Index (BMI) chart to make it easy to work out where you currently stand, and what weight you should target for optimum health.

Your wait is over!

— 2008-09-24 06:00 Update: Extended height ranges and some rewrite.

Important: Be sure you read the chart correctly, or you may make an assumption that the chart is giving you a wildly-incorrect answer.

• Find your height at the left.
  The only numbers of interest to you on the entire chart will be the numbers on this row of the table. These numbers represent your BMI at each weight shown at the bottom.
  
• Find your current weight at the bottom.
  
• The point where your weight (column) and height (row) intersect is your current BMI. The color of this square indicates where you stand regarding interpretation of the table.

The green zone on the same horizontal line as your height represents the target weight range (reading directly down to the weight shown at the bottom of that column — not tracing the colors down). If you’re not in the green zone, go for it and git ’er done! Pick a target in the green zone and launch. Your health depends on it. And, as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, “Willpower and Weight Loss” Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, you do not have to give up being satisfied and full at every meal. It’s not about eating less... it’s about eating better. And that does not mean muffins, alfalta sprouts, and tasteless little dinky salads.

If you’re shorter or taller than the chart shows, give me a shout and I’ll expand the ranges.

This chart uses the standard BMI formula of ((weight * 703.0696) / (height * height)). Being a proper geek, obsessed with perfection in my efforts, I drew this chart myself, using a perl script, to illustrate what I wanted to show, as well as how I wanted to show it. If you find a calculation error, please call it to my attention.

Since Body Mass Index (also known as the Quetelet Index) is actually an expression of kilograms (of mass/weight) per square meter (of height), 703.0696 is a constant value used in the calculation when you have non-metric-system input information (inches and pounds, instead of meters and kilograms). If you calculate the value with meters and kilograms of the same person, you’ll get the same result.

6’0”	10.8	12.2	13.6	14.9	16.3	17.6	19.0	20.3	21.7	23.1	24.4	25.8	27.1	28.5	29.8	31.2	32.5	33.9	35.3	36.6	38.0	39.3	40.7
5’11”	11.2	12.6	13.9	15.3	16.7	18.1	19.5	20.9	22.3	23.7	25.1	26.5	27.9	29.3	30.7	32.1	33.5	34.9	36.3	37.7	39.1	40.4	41.8
5’10”	11.5	12.9	14.3	15.8	17.2	18.7	20.1	21.5	23.0	24.4	25.8	27.3	28.7	30.1	31.6	33.0	34.4	35.9	37.3	38.7	40.2	41.6	43.0
5’9”	11.8	13.3	14.8	16.2	17.7	19.2	20.7	22.2	23.6	25.1	26.6	28.1	29.5	31.0	32.5	34.0	35.4	36.9	38.4	39.9	41.3	42.8	44.3
5’8”	12.2	13.7	15.2	16.7	18.2	19.8	21.3	22.8	24.3	25.8	27.4	28.9	30.4	31.9	33.5	35.0	36.5	38.0	39.5	41.1	42.6	44.1	45.6
5’7”	12.5	14.1	15.7	17.2	18.8	20.4	21.9	23.5	25.1	26.6	28.2	29.8	31.3	32.9	34.5	36.0	37.6	39.2	40.7	42.3	43.9	45.4	47.0
5’6”	12.9	14.5	16.1	17.8	19.4	21.0	22.6	24.2	25.8	27.4	29.1	30.7	32.3	33.9	35.5	37.1	38.7	40.4	42.0	43.6	45.2	46.8	48.4
5’5”	13.3	15.0	16.6	18.3	20.0	21.6	23.3	25.0	26.6	28.3	30.0	31.6	33.3	34.9	36.6	38.3	39.9	41.6	43.3	44.9	46.6	48.3	49.9
5’4”	13.7	15.4	17.2	18.9	20.6	22.3	24.0	25.7	27.5	29.2	30.9	32.6	34.3	36.0	37.8	39.5	41.2	42.9	44.6	46.3	48.1	49.8	51.5
5’3”	14.2	15.9	17.7	19.5	21.3	23.0	24.8	26.6	28.3	30.1	31.9	33.7	35.4	37.2	39.0	40.7	42.5	44.3	46.1	47.8	49.6	51.4	53.1
5’2”	14.6	16.5	18.3	20.1	21.9	23.8	25.6	27.4	29.3	31.1	32.9	34.8	36.6	38.4	40.2	42.1	43.9	45.7	47.6	49.4	51.2	53.0	54.9
5’1”	15.1	17.0	18.9	20.8	22.7	24.6	26.5	28.3	30.2	32.1	34.0	35.9	37.8	39.7	41.6	43.5	45.3	47.2	49.1	51.0	52.9	54.8	56.7
5’0”	15.6	17.6	19.5	21.5	23.4	25.4	27.3	29.3	31.2	33.2	35.2	37.1	39.1	41.0	43.0	44.9	46.9	48.8	50.8	52.7	54.7	56.6	58.6
4’11”	16.2	18.2	20.2	22.2	24.2	26.3	28.3	30.3	32.3	34.3	36.4	38.4	40.4	42.4	44.4	46.5	48.5	50.5	52.5	54.5	56.6	58.6	60.6
4’10”	16.7	18.8	20.9	23.0	25.1	27.2	29.3	31.3	33.4	35.5	37.6	39.7	41.8	43.9	46.0	48.1	50.2	52.2	54.3	56.4	58.5	60.6	62.7
4’9”	17.3	19.5	21.6	23.8	26.0	28.1	30.3	32.5	34.6	36.8	39.0	41.1	43.3	45.4	47.6	49.8	51.9	54.1	56.3	58.4	60.6	62.8	64.9
4’8”	17.9	20.2	22.4	24.7	26.9	29.1	31.4	33.6	35.9	38.1	40.4	42.6	44.8	47.1	49.3	51.6	53.8	56.0	58.3	60.5	62.8	65.0	67.3
4’7”	18.6	20.9	23.2	25.6	27.9	30.2	32.5	34.9	37.2	39.5	41.8	44.2	46.5	48.8	51.1	53.5	55.8	58.1	60.4	62.8	65.1	67.4	69.7
4’6”	19.3	21.7	24.1	26.5	28.9	31.3	33.8	36.2	38.6	41.0	43.4	45.8	48.2	50.6	53.0	55.5	57.9	60.3	62.7	65.1	67.5	69.9	72.3
HT/WT	80	90	100	110	120	130	140	150	160	170	180	190	200	210	220	230	240	250	260	270	280	290	300

Body Mass Index Ranges
Starvation/Anorexia	BMI under 17.5
Underweight	BMI 17.5 to 18.5
Ideal	BMI 18.5 to 25
Overweight	BMI 25 to 30
Obese	BMI 30 to 40
Morbidly Obese	BMI Over 40

Now that you’ve seen the chart, if you are an “average American,” you may not like what it has to say. The problem is, these numbers really are meaningful. Am I trying to suggest that a BMI of 24.9 is “live” and a BMI of 25.1 is “die?” Not at all. But consider where you are, and consider where the chart says you should be. Plan your work, and work your plan. You can get there, but you first have to accept the numbers.

Be forewarned: your friends or family may not be supportive of your efforts to improve yourself... they may be jealous of your success, they may want you to stay just where you are so they don’t feel threatened by your success, or they may feel like they have to get off of their own booties and slim down themselves like you’re doing — and resist. I’ve been there, and I’m not going back, and I would encourage you to dismiss these objections out-of-hand. In fact, you may want to consider not even mentioning your weight loss efforts – I guarantee from personal that people will notice, and they will ask! Talk about a good feeling.

Watch out for these objections people may throw at your to discourage you from approacing your target weight, or even prevent you from trying:

“Don’t worry about those charts — they’re just guidelines.”

Yes, they are “just” guidelines. A comforting thought. They’re guidelines for classifying people to a reality check for all of us – me included. Our society is increasingly overweight, and our images of ourselves are adapting to allow bigger and bigger to be “just fine.” If the guidelines were based on “average” sizes, they would certainly be more generous. Fortunately for us, they are not.

“Muscle weighs more than fat.”

Yes, it does, but this isn’t really a concern for us Regular Joe (and Jill) Sixpack ... and when you become a professional athlete or bodybuilder, the BMI index may indicate that you weigh more than you should. Prior to that, this is not a concern.

“You could never get that small.”

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it – and by that, I do not mean tried it the wrong way, by “eating less” or eating “low fat” or “lite” products – none of which will help, and most of which will make you miserable (not to mention increasing your cravings for more of the same). You really can get “that small” and you will love it when you get there. First, though, you’ve got to forget every failed attempt at dieting that you’ve ever made before. What will amaze you is how much extra fat you are carrying around.

“You have a big frame.”

Get into your ideal range and then tell me about your frame size and how you feel. Of the 40 pounds I’ve lost so far (which still leaves me in the “overweight” range), I would have thought I would be smaller. Forty seems like a very large number. And, granted, I am significantly smaller than I was, and although the “beer gut” (more like a “donut gut” in my case) has shrunken considerably, it’s still somewhat noticeable, especially in photos. Being in the ideal range on the chart will not likely make you as tiny as you fear that it might. Seriously – fear not.

“Calculating BMI doesn’t take water weight, fat composition, etc., into account.”

All very true. Other options are hydrostatic weighting (where you’re weighed on a scale while you’re submersed in water, to calculate your true density (by volume, fat is lighter than muscle, so the more fat, the more you float, and the less you will appear to weigh on a scale while you’re underwater), or with a skin fold caliper test. This is very cool, and very revealing, and probably available at your local gym – that’s where I got mine done, about 25 pounds ago – I need to do it again. The chances are high that you will not get a different result... in the mean time, the chart provides a target you can aspire to!

“All you need to do is eat a ‘balanced diet’ and exercise.”

Yes, but no. If, by “balanced diet,” you mean the food pyramid, you’ll be doing it wrong. The food pyramid is based on a typical diet – not optimum diet. A truly balanced diet is not heavy on protein, heavy on carbs, and low on fat. Eating like that is a recipe for cravings and obesity if your metabolism is one that encourages abdominal fat buildup. Exercise – sure, it’s good for you – will not, by itself, be enough. It doesn’t take much extra food to more-than-cancel-out the amount of calories you expend during exercise; however, what exercise does for you — more than burning off some of your fat – needed for energy if you don’t have too much glucose swirling around in your system – as well as to increase your resting metabolism. Do get off your couch and exercise – but don’t overdo it, don’t push yourself, and don’t think you can fix your weight by exercise without fixing your diet: just like restricting quantity rather than quality of food won’t provide lasting weight loss, exercise will disappoint it you expect it to do miracles alone.

My absolute best wishes to you in accepting reality and planning for the future. Look better, feel better, live longer, eat luxuriously... it’s really quite a bargain. One more time: If you don’t feel great while following my suggestions, you’re doing it wrong. Ask me and I’ll be happy to help.

Incidentally, Blogspot/Blogger was munging up my table formatting... It was a battle of wits between a human and a computer. The human was ultimately, apparently victorious. From here, it finally looks right on a Firefox – get it now for free if you don’t have it, as well as Internet Exploder 6.0 (I haven’t installed 7.0 *shudder* yet on my XP machine). Let me know if this table doesn’t look right on your screen.