Rather than getting stuck on a number on your bathroom scale, pay attention to body mass index (BMI). It’s a ratio of height to weight that indicates if your weight puts your health at risk. To find your BMI, use this formula: Your weight (in pounds), divided by your height in inches squared, multiplied by 703. Or use the on-line BMI calculator below, courtesy of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (www.nhlbi.nih.gov).

feet inches
weight



= your BMI

A person with a BMI under 18.5 is thin enough to risk having inadequate energy for a healthy life.

If your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, you’re at a healthy weight.

If your BMI is 25 to 29.9, you’re overweight (unless you are very muscular). You have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.

A BMI over 30 signals obesity, and you may already have some health problems.