What Does Your BMI Result Mean?
Use this BMI Calculator to estimate your body mass index using your height and weight. You can enter imperial or metric measurements, and the calculator will show your BMI number and category.
BMI is a common screening measure used to group weight status as underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obesity. It can be a helpful starting point, but it does not measure body fat directly or show your full health picture.
Your result may be easier to understand when viewed alongside health markers such as glucose, A1C, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. Rite Aid health guides and future calculators can help you learn more about these topics.
Your BMI
Related next steps
Learn more about health topics related to this calculator.
Health conditions
Biomarkers
Almost done
Thanks for subscribing.
Get more health calculators and guides
Subscribe to hear about future Rite Aid calculators, quizzes, and health guides that can help you better understand common wellness topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about this page and how to use what you find here.
Sources
This calculator is for general education only and is not a diagnosis, treatment plan, or substitute for professional medical advice.
BMI is calculated by dividing weight in pounds by height in inches squared, then multiplying by 703. If you use metric units, kilograms and centimeters can be converted first. The result is a number used to group adults into standard BMI categories, such as underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obesity.
A healthy BMI for most adults is 18.5 to 24.9. A BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight, 25.0 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and 30 or higher is considered obesity. These ranges are screening categories and do not measure body fat or diagnose health conditions.
BMI is not accurate for everyone because it uses only height and weight. It may overestimate body fat in athletes or people with more muscle, and it may underestimate risk in people with more abdominal fat. BMI also may be less useful during pregnancy, for older adults, and for children without age-based charts.
A high BMI can be linked with a higher average risk of insulin resistance, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes, but it does not show whether you have any of these conditions. Blood tests such as fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1C are commonly used to evaluate blood sugar patterns.
BMI alone cannot tell you whether weight loss medicine is right for you. Medication decisions depend on your health history, BMI, weight-related conditions, current medications, pregnancy status, and other factors. A licensed healthcare professional can explain options, benefits, risks, and whether treatment is appropriate for your situation.
Health markers often discussed with BMI include hemoglobin A1C, fasting glucose, insulin, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and blood pressure. These can give more information about metabolic health than BMI alone. For example, high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol may appear with insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome.
You can check BMI when your weight or height information changes, or as part of routine health tracking. For adults, height usually stays stable, so BMI mainly changes with weight. Avoid focusing only on BMI; trends in energy, activity, waist size, lab results, and overall health can also matter.