Free tool
BMI calculator, built for Indian body types
For Indian adults, a BMI from 18.5 to 22.9 is in the typical range, and the cutoffs are the same for men and women. Enter your height and weight for an instant BMI reading against Asian-Indian thresholds — the cutoffs used for South Asian populations, not the Western defaults most calculators default to. No sign-up, nothing sent anywhere until you choose to continue.
Enter your height and weight to see your result.
BMI is a rough population-level screen. It doesn't know your muscle mass, your frame, or how your weight is distributed — and it can't tell you what to eat or how to train, because it knows nothing about your activity, your food, your schedule, or what you're actually trying to do.
Why Asian-Indian thresholds, not the usual ones
Most BMI calculators use World Health Organization cutoffs, where the typical range runs from 18.5 to 24.9. Indian bodies tend to carry more body fat than European bodies at the same BMI, so health risk starts climbing at lower numbers. This calculator keeps the usual lower bound of 18.5 and takes its upper cutoffs from the 2009 Indian consensus statement: the typical range ends at 23, and the top band starts at 25. The ICMR–NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024) agree the typical range ends at 23, but start the top band at 27.5 rather than 25.
| BMI range | Category |
|---|---|
| Below 18.5 | Below typical range |
| 18.5 – 22.9 | Typical range |
| 23.0 – 24.9 | Slightly above typical range |
| 25.0 and above | Above typical range |
Is the BMI chart different for Indian men and women?
No. The BMI cutoffs are the same for men and women, in both the 2009 consensus statement and the ICMR–NIN 2024 guidelines. A reading of 24 falls in the same band for a man or a woman.
Waist size is where men and women differ. BMI can't tell where on your body weight sits, and both documents single out weight carried around the middle. ICMR–NIN links a waist above 90 cm in men, or above 80 cm in women, with a higher risk of long-term lifestyle-related health problems. So a typical BMI with a waist above those numbers is still worth paying attention to.
Weight for height chart, using Indian cutoffs
There's no single ideal weight for a height. This chart shows the weight range that puts an adult in the typical BMI range (18.5 to just under 23) at each height, and it is the same for men and women. If you carry a lot of muscle, BMI can put you above this range, as the FAQ below explains.
| Height | cm | Typical weight |
|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 10 in | 147 | 41–49 kg |
| 5 ft 0 in | 152 | 43–53 kg |
| 5 ft 2 in | 157 | 46–56 kg |
| 5 ft 4 in | 163 | 50–60 kg |
| 5 ft 6 in | 168 | 53–64 kg |
| 5 ft 8 in | 173 | 56–68 kg |
| 5 ft 10 in | 178 | 59–72 kg |
| 6 ft 0 in | 183 | 62–76 kg |
| 6 ft 2 in | 188 | 66–81 kg |
Frequently asked questions
Why does this calculator use different cutoffs than the ones I’ve seen elsewhere?
Most calculators use the World Health Organization bands, where the typical range runs from 18.5 to 24.9 and the top band starts at 30. Indian bodies tend to carry more body fat than European bodies at the same BMI, so health risk in Indian studies starts rising at lower numbers. The 2009 Indian consensus statement set lower cutoffs for Asian Indians: the typical range ends at 23, and the top band starts at 25. This calculator uses those, with the usual lower bound of 18.5. The ICMR–NIN guidelines published in 2024 also end the typical range at 23, but start the top band at 27.5 rather than 25.
Is BMI an accurate measure of health?
No single number is. BMI is a population-level screening tool, not a diagnosis. It is calculated from height and weight alone, so it cannot see muscle mass, bone density, frame size or where on your body weight sits — all of which vary a lot between individuals with the same BMI. Use it as a starting point for a conversation about your body, not a verdict on it.
What should I do with my result?
On its own, not much — a BMI number can’t tell you what to eat, how to train, or what your goal should be, because it knows nothing about your activity level, food preferences, schedule or history. That’s what the 90-second quiz below is for: it takes your numbers plus a handful of questions about your life and goal, and turns that into an actual plan.
I’m very muscular, or I train a lot — does this still apply to me?
BMI systematically overstates health risk for people who carry unusually high muscle mass, since it has no way to tell muscle from any other kind of body weight. If that sounds like you, treat the number here as noise rather than signal, and lean more on how you look, feel and perform.
Do you store my height and weight?
Your numbers are saved only in your browser’s local storage, so the quiz can prefill them if you continue — they are not sent anywhere or logged against your identity unless you go on to create a plan.
Sources
- Misra A, et al. (2009): consensus statement on BMI and waist cutoffs for Asian Indians. Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2009;57:163-70, PubMed 19582986.
- Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024). ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Guideline 9, pp. 62-64.
Utkarsh Thakur
Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach
Works with people who want to eat better without giving up the food they grew up on.
Last updated