You need to stay within a specified range of Body Mass Index (BMI) to fall into the ‘healthy weight’ category. However, you can also gauge your level of physical health by looking for key factors such as:
- Increased energy levels
- Better quality sleep
- Positive mindset and mental peace
- Increased happiness and emotional contentment
So when you’re targeting weight loss, make sure to factor in the above lifestyle factors that also double up as ‘markers’ for healthy living.
Let’s understand what we mean by BMI and how it can be calculated.
Body mass index (BMI) is an inexpensive and easy screening tool which allows you to estimate excess fat and understand whether you are underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese.
Here are the top four reasons why you need to understand your BMI range:
- You’ll get to know if you weigh in accordance with your height.
- It’ll act as a wake-up call for you, offering a glimpse into whether you’re at risk of certain diseases.
- You’ll be better prepared to undertake any preventive measures to keep your body weight in check.
- You get to decide what diet and lifestyle changes to follow in order to lead a healthier life
In terms of the risks involved, the higher the BMI, the greater the risks related to obesity. You can calculate it by measuring a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. For example, a 70 kg adult who is 1.75 m tall will have a BMI of 22.9.
Here’s the formula for it:
70 (kg)/1.752 (m2) = 22.9 BMI
Healthy BMI Range for Indian Males and Females:
“WHO claims that majority of the Asian population are at higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and hence have a lower BMI than the existing WHO cut-off points for being overweight.”
For the Indian population, BMI is calculated differently and includes additional categories based on body fat. The normal BMI cut-off for Indians is 23.
Nutritional status based on the WHO and “Asian criteria” values |
Nutritional Status |
WHO criteria BMI cut-off |
Asian criteria BMI cut-off |
Underweight |
< 18.5 |
< 18.5 |
Normal |
18.5 – 24.9 |
18.5 – 24.9 |
Overweight |
25 – 29.9 |
23 – 24.9 |
Pre-Obese |
– |
25 – 29.9 |
Obese |
> 30 |
> 30 |
Obese Type 1 (obese) |
30- 40 |
30 – 40 |
Obese Type 2 (morbid obese) |
40.1 – 50 |
40.1 – 50 |
Obese Type 3 (super obese) |
> 50 |
> 50 |
It also helps to know that according to studies, Indian women are more likely to be obese than men.
While BMI is an important metric doctors look at, there are also a number of other health parameters which need to be considered to provide a holistic view of your health:
Visceral fat: 0.5 to 9.5 is a healthy range
Total body fat percentage: The range for a healthy body fat percentage depends upon your age, gender and activity levels.
Body fat percentage for women:
Age |
Percentage |
20 – 39 |
21 – 32% |
40 – 59 |
23 – 33% |
60 – 79 |
24 – 35% |
Body fat percentage for men:
Age |
Percentage |
20 – 39 |
8 – 19% |
40 – 59 |
11 – 21% |
60 – 79 |
13 – 24% |
Summary:
– Simply put, the Body Mass Index is a useful and reliable tool to gauge your body fat in absolute numbers.
– For Indians, a BMI of 23 is considered to be ‘normal’ weight.

