For more information about BMI, scroll down
Learn More About BMI
Understanding Body Mass Index helps you interpret your results and make informed health decisions.
BMI is a general indicator and does not take into account individual factors such as muscle mass, bone density, or fat distribution. Particularly for athletes, BMI can lead to an overestimation of body fat due to higher muscle mass. For children and adolescents, there are special BMI percentile curves, as their values change during the growth process. BMI should not be considered as the sole indicator of health, but should be interpreted in conjunction with other factors such as waist circumference, fat distribution, and general health status.
BMI is a simple method to assess your body weight in relation to other factors and is a rough guideline to answer the following questions:
- •Am I too light?
- •Is my weight in the normal range?
- •Am I too heavy?
Each person has an individual body composition that BMI does not consider. The proportion of muscle and fat tissue plays a role in weight assessment, as does age and gender. It's best to consult with a healthcare professional after an initial assessment of your weight with the BMI calculator.
BMI is calculated using a mathematical formula. You take the weight in kilograms and divide it by the height in meters squared.
Body weight in KG ÷ Height in meters squared
Simply enter your body measurements in the BMI calculator and get your result instantly.
Underweight can lead to long-term consequences due to inadequate nutrition, including:
- •Concentration problems
- •Bone loss (osteoporosis)
- •Immune system disorders (susceptibility to infection)
- •Infertility
A few extra pounds on the scale doesn't mean you'll get sick immediately. However, being overweight increases the long-term risk of certain diseases. These include:
- •High blood pressure
- •Diabetes
- •Lipid metabolism disorders
- •Joint problems (e.g., osteoarthritis)
- •Breathing difficulties
- •Cardiovascular diseases
- •Some types of cancer (e.g., colon cancer)
If you're concerned about your BMI results or have questions about your health, consider these resources:
- •Consult with your primary care physician
- •Speak with a registered dietitian
- •Contact a mental health professional for eating disorder concerns
- •Visit your local health clinic
If your body weight is outside the normal range (underweight or overweight), you should consult with a healthcare professional at least once. This way you can determine whether you should take measures to change your weight.
If you are strongly preoccupied with your eating behavior, this may indicate an eating disorder. Several types of eating disorders are distinguished, such as anorexia, bulimia, atypical eating disorders, or binge eating. Here too, we recommend consultation with a healthcare professional.
For more information about BMI and health, visit these authoritative sources: