BMI & waist calculator
Uses the cut-offs for Indian adults, not the global ones, and the IAP 2015 charts for Indian children (WHO under 5). Everything is calculated on your device; nothing you type is sent or stored.
Enter height and weight.
- Target weight
- —
- Largest healthy waist
- —
Enter height and weight.
Enter height.
Add your waist to see abdominal fat risk.
How to read your result
| Measure | Healthy | Increased risk | High risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMI, Indian adults | 18.5 – 22.9 | 23 – 24.9 (overweight) | 25 or more (obesity) |
| Waist-to-height ratio | below 0.5 | 0.5 – 0.59 | 0.6 or more |
| Waist, men | below 90 cm | 90 cm or more | |
| Waist, women | below 80 cm | 80 cm or more | |
Target weight for adults is the weight at which BMI would be 21 to 22, the middle of the healthy range for Indian adults. Largest healthy waist is the lower of the Indian waist cut-off and half your height.
Children (2 to 17 years)
A child's BMI changes with age, so it is compared with children of the same age and sex. From 5 years the calculator uses the IAP 2015 charts for Indian children; under 5, IAP recommends the WHO standards.
| Age | Thinness | Healthy | Overweight | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 to 17 years (IAP 2015) | below the 3rd percentile | 3rd percentile to the 23 line | adult-equivalent 23 line or above | adult-equivalent 27 line or above |
| 2 to 4 years (WHO 2006) | below −2 SD (wasted) | −2 to +1 SD | above +2 SD (+1 to +2: possible risk) | above +3 SD |
Waist in children (2 to 17 years) is compared with Indian children of the same age and sex (Khadilkar 2014). At or above the 70th percentile, risk factors for metabolic syndrome become common; that is the "largest healthy waist" shown.
The adult-equivalent lines are the BMI at each age that tracks to a BMI of 23 or 27 at 18 years, the Indian adult cut-offs for overweight and obesity. Growing children usually do not need to lose weight: keeping weight steady while they grow taller brings BMI down. Talk to a paediatrician before changing a child's diet.
Common questions
What BMI is overweight for Indians?
For Indian adults, a BMI of 23 to 24.9 kg/m² is overweight and 25 or more is obesity, following the Asia-Pacific and Indian consensus cut-offs.
What waist size is too high for Indians?
Indian guidelines flag abdominal obesity at a waist of 90 cm or more in men and 80 cm or more in women.
What is a healthy waist-to-height ratio?
Below 0.5 — keep your waist to less than half your height. 0.5 to 0.59 means increased risk and 0.6 or more high risk.
What weight should I aim for?
For Indian adults this calculator suggests the weight at which BMI is 21 to 22, the middle of the healthy range (18.5 to 22.9), together with a waist below the Indian cut-off (90 cm men, 80 cm women) and below half your height.
How is BMI judged in Indian children?
Children are still growing, so their BMI is compared with children of the same age and sex. From 5 to 17 years the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP 2015) charts are used: overweight from the line that corresponds to an adult BMI of 23, obesity from the line for 27, and thinness below the 3rd percentile. Under 5 years, IAP recommends the WHO standards: above +2 SD is overweight and above +3 SD obesity.
Sources6
- WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations. Lancet 2004;363:157-63.
- Misra A, et al. Consensus statement for diagnosis of obesity, abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome for Asian Indians. J Assoc Physicians India 2009;57:163-70.
- NICE CG189, waist-to-height ratio recommendations (2022 update).
- Indian Academy of Pediatrics Growth Charts Committee. Revised IAP growth charts for height, weight and body mass index for 5- to 18-year-old Indian children. Indian Pediatr 2015;52:47-55.
- Khadilkar A, et al. Waist circumference percentiles in 2-18 year old Indian children. J Pediatr 2014;164:1358-62.
- WHO Child Growth Standards (2006): BMI-for-age, birth to 5 years.
More calculators
Activity check
Does your week reach the Indian (ICMR-NIN) physical activity targets for your age? With the IPAQ score from 15 years.
Open →ReadyIndian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS)
Four questions that estimate your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Open →ReadySTOP-Bang
Eight yes/no questions that estimate your risk of obstructive sleep apnoea.
Open →All tools are listed on Tools. Clinical scores for health professionals are in For Doctors · Tools.