Reading your body numbers
What BMI tells you, the WHO bands, and what the number cannot tell you.
3 min read
BMI is a quick screening number: your weight in kg divided by your height in metres, squared. Levlofit uses the WHO adult bands, the same as most BMI calculators.
BMI for adults (WHO)
| Range (kg/m²) | Band |
|---|---|
| 14 to 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 to 25 | Normal |
| 25 to 30 | Overweight |
| 30 to 40 | Obese |
23kg/m²
BMI from which health risk starts to rise for South Asian adults: aim for the lower half of the normal range[2]
BMI is good for
- Quick screening
- Tracking change in the same person
BMI misses
- Muscle versus fat
- Where fat is stored
Key points
- Levlofit uses the WHO adult BMI bands.
- For South Asian adults, health risk starts to rise from a BMI of 23.
- BMI screens; it cannot tell muscle from fat.
Up next
- Calories and energy balance: Your numbers and activity set your calorie target.
Sources
- [1] World Health Organization. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. WHO Technical Report Series 894. Geneva: WHO, 2000.
- [2] WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 2004;363:157-163.
General information from published guidelines, not medical advice, and not reviewed by a clinician. See a doctor for pain, illness, pregnancy or before hard training if you have a condition.