Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is a useful measure of overweight and obesity. It is calculated from your height and weight. BMI is an estimate of body fat and a good gauge of your risk for diseases that can occur with more body fat. The higher your BMI, the higher your risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers.

Although BMI can be used for most men and women, it does have some limits:

• It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build.

• It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle.

The normal body mass index is 18.5-25. Overweight people have a body mass index of 25-30. People with obesity have a BMI above 30. If the BMI is above 35 you are said to be severely obese, above 40 you are morbidly obese, over 50 you are super obese.

You would qualify for surgery if your BMI is greater than 40kg/m2 or greater than 35 kg/m2 but with one of the health problems caused by obesity. However we will consider patients with a BMI greater than 30 in specific situations.

Drag the Height and Weight Indicators below to see the corresponding BMI. You can also drag the BMI slider to see the target weight for a fixed height

Fat predominantly distributed around the waist is also a risk factor for health complications such as cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. Fat predominantly deposited around the hips and buttocks doesn't have this same risk.