For adults 18 and over. Children are measured on BMI-for-age charts.
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What is a healthy BMI for Indians?
For Indians, a healthy BMI is 18.5 to 22.9.
- From 23 you are in the overweight range.
- From 25 you are in the obese range.
That is because the risk of diabetes and heart disease starts at a lower BMI in Asian bodies. These cut-offs come from the WHO Asia-Pacific guidance (2000), not the Western ones.
| BMI | What it means |
|---|---|
| Under 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 to 22.9 | Healthy |
| 23 to 24.9 | Overweight |
| 25 and above | Obese |
Source: WHO Asia-Pacific, The Asia-Pacific perspective: redefining obesity and its treatment (2000).
How this works
BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres, squared. The ranges used here are under 18.5 underweight, 18.5 to 22.9 healthy, 23 to 24.9 overweight and 25 or more obese, from the WHO Asia-Pacific guidance (2000) and the Indian consensus guidelines on obesity (2009). BMI is a quick screening number. It can't tell muscle from fat, so read it alongside your waist.
A number is a starting point, not a plan. On a free call, Puja looks at it with your reports and your routine.
Questions about your answer?
Once you have an answer, it goes into the message for you, so there is nothing to copy.
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