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| BMI | Classification |
|---|---|
| Under 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 - 24.9 | Normal Weight |
| 25-29.9 | Overweight |
| 30-34.9 | Obesity Class I |
| 35-39.9 | Obesity Class II |
| Over 40 | Obesity Class III |
*This BMI calculator is for adults 20 years or older. Talk to your doctor about your BMI if you're under the age of 20. BMI classification are based on WHO BMI classification.
A BMI of 18.5 -24.9 is deemed to be within the ”normal BMI range”. Keeping your weight within this range lowers your risk of getting obesity-related diseases.
Want inspiration for planning healthy meals or staying active? Check out our list of life tricks to continue.
People living with overweight, or obesity have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), also known as heart disease.
Although both BMI and Waist to Height Ratio (WtHR) can be used to assess a person’s risk of developing CVD, WtHR is considered to be a stronger predictor of cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
BMI is used to indicate a person’s weight category, based on their height and weight. WtHR, on the other hand, is used to measure the distribution of a person’s body fat, based on their height and waist circumference. Measuring WtHR is important, as an excess level of fat stored around the abdomen, in particular, is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease.
Knowing both your BMI and WtHR can help you to improve your heart health by understanding whether action should be taken to manage your weight.
Click here to calculate your Waist to Height Ratio and what this means for you.
A healthy lifestyle is recommended for everybody. However if your BMI shows that you're overweight or have obesity at any point, it may be time to make changes so that you can be at a healthier weight. Many things can affect your weight, so you can also try to manage it in different ways. Click on an item below to see what you can do to make a change.
Heart Health
Obesity is a risk factor for several complications of the heart, including:
The good news is that that the risk of these complications can be reduced through effective weight management.
Taking appropriate steps to lose weight, with the support of professional guidance, has been shown to improve heart health.
Nutrition
There's no perfect diet for losing weight. But, there are
scientifically proven ways to help you manage weight and prevent the
weight from coming back. Focus on healthier
ways of eating (like the Mediterranean diet, high fiber diet,
and vegetarian diet) instead of going to extremes in limiting how much
you eat.
Mental health
There are many reasons why we gain weight and sometimes, they have to do with how we feel. Some people use food to cope with difficult situations and soothe their feelings. This is called emotional eating - and it's the reason why we sometimes need psychological support instead of diet advice. Get a better understanding of the roles feelings and stress play in managing weight.
Activity
Regular exercise is very important for losing and managing your weight. To make sure that your obesity weight loss programme is as effective as possible, consider adding aerobic and resistance exercises to your routine. You should also move more in general.
Find tips for getting a good start on a new exercise programme here.
Sleep
Getting too little sleep can affect your hormones, which can then affect how and what you eat. When you sleep better, you're better able to make healthy choices and resist tempting foods. Find tips to improve your habits and get the sleep your body and mind need.
Your obesity health risk
Living with overweight or obesity is associated with an increased risk of mortality and other diseases or conditions. Generally, the higher your BMI, the greater the chance of developing other chronic obesity-related diseases. See the health benefits of losing weight.
BMI are used to assess whether people have overweight or obesity, while the link to heart health being that these conditions increases the risk of developing heart disease. Waist to Height Ratio (WtHR) is considered a stronger indicator of the risk of developing cardiovascular risk factors. Monitoring BMI, WtHR, and various lifestyle factors such as stress and sleep all helps contribute towards a comprehensive assessment of heart health.
To find out if your WtHR is in the healthy range, click here.
BMI is a good way to check your risk of diseases related to body fat (adiposity). Generally, the higher your BMI, the greater the chance of developing other chronic obesity-related diseases, including:
Ask your healthcare professional for more information about any of these diseases and how they relate to your BMI.
BMI is a simple and objective measurement, but it can be misleading in certain cases and for some groups of people. Research has shown that BMI is less accurate in predicting the risk of disease in people who are older, athletes, those who are tall or short, and those with more muscular body types. For example, elite athletes or bodybuilders have more muscle and weigh more, which makes their BMI higher.
BMI also doesn't take into account:
It's important to remember that living with obesity doesn't necessarily mean you're unhealthy, just as being at a ‘normal’ weight doesn't mean you're healthy. Your BMI doesn't define you, but knowing and understanding your BMI can be a powerful tool for taking charge of your own health.
