It’s all over the news. Americans weigh more now than ever before. Do you worry about yourself or a family member? Do you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol? It may be time to assess your weight, your diet and how much you exercise.

Find Your Body Mass Index (BMI)

Experts look to the BMI as one of the best ways to determine if you’re at a healthy weight. A BMI is a calculation based on your height and weight. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC): 

• If your BMI is less than 18.5, it falls within the underweight range.
• If your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, it falls within the normal or healthy weight range.
• If your BMI is 25.0 to 29.9, it falls within the overweight range.
• If your BMI is 30.0 or higher, it falls within the obese range.

Underweight, normal, overweight and obese all are terms for weight ranges. Obese and overweight describe a range of weight that is greater than what is considered healthy for your height. The BMI is an effective tool to give you an understanding of where you are when it comes to a healthy weight range. If you want to undertake a weight loss program, it’s best to contact your doctor first.

Additional Resources

Do you think you need to lose weight? Take a test using the CDC’s Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator for adults. For children and teens ages two through 19, use this calculator. A BMI is a number calculated from a person’s height and weight. It’s a reliable indicator to determine if an individual is overweight, obese or in a normal weight category.