BMI Calculator For Women
UNDERWEIGHT
A low BMI suggests you may be underweight. The healthy BMI range for is between 18.5 and 24.9. The healthy weight range for someone of your height is .
Being underweight could have implications on your health such as increased risk of osteoporosis, a weakened immune system, fatigue etc. Click for more information on understanding your BMI results.
Please note that your BMI doesn’t give you a full picture of your health. Check in with your doctor regularly to make sure your health is on track.
NORMAL
Great! Your BMI is within the healthy range for . The healthy weight range for someone of your height is . Keep doing what you’re doing to maintain your health! Click for more information on understanding your BMI results.
Please note that your BMI doesn’t give you a full picture of your health. Check in with your doctor regularly to make sure your health is on track.
OVERWEIGHT
A high BMI suggests you may be overweight. The healthy BMI range for is between 18.5 and 24.9. The healthy weight range for someone of your height is .
Being overweight could have implications on your health such as increased risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease etc.
Because BMI is a measure of body weight and not body fat, muscular people and athletes could also have high BMI readings (and this is not usually a cause for concern).
Click for more information on understanding your BMI results.
Please note that your BMI doesn’t give you a full picture of your health. Check in with your doctor regularly to make sure your health is on track.
OBESE
Very high BMI readings suggest you may be obese. The healthy BMI range for is between 18.5 and 24.9. The healthy weight range for someone of your height is .
Being obese could have implications on your health such as increased risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer etc. Click for more information on understanding your BMI results.
Please note that your BMI doesn’t give you a full picture of your health. Check in with your doctor regularly to make sure your health is on track.
SEVERELY UNDERWEIGHT
A BMI under the 3rd percentile for this child or teen’s gender and age means they are almost certainly underweight. The healthy BMI range for aged is between , which falls into the 5th to 85th percentile. The healthy weight range for the same age and gender is .
Being severely underweight is likely to cause a significant negative impact on their health, such as increased risk of illness and even mortality, as well as increased difficult in reaching development milestones, and more. A child or teen that is severely underweight now is also at risk of further health complications in adulthood.
Click for more information on understanding BMI results for children and teens.
Please note that BMI doesn’t give you a full picture of health. Check in with a pediatrician or family doctor regularly to stay on track.
UNDERWEIGHT
A BMI under the 5th percentile for this child or teen’s gender and age suggests they may be underweight. The healthy BMI range for aged is between , which falls into the 5th to 85th percentile. The healthy weight range for someone of the same age and gender is .
Being underweight could have implications on health, such as increased risk of a weakened immune system, delays in reaching development milestones, etc. This child or teen is also at risk of further health complications in adulthood.
Click for more information on understanding BMI results for children and teens.
Please note that BMI doesn’t give you a full picture of health. Check in with a pediatrician or family doctor regularly to stay on track.
NORMAL
Great! Your child’s BMI is in the percentile, which is within the healthy range for aged .
The healthy weight range for someone of the same age and gender is .
Encourage this child or teen to keep doing what they’re doing to maintain their health!
Click for more information on understanding BMI results for children and teens.
Please note that BMI doesn’t give you a full picture of health. Check in with a pediatrician or family doctor regularly to stay on track.
OVERWEIGHT
A BMI in the percentile suggests that this child or teen is likely to be overweight. The healthy BMI range for aged is between , which falls into the 5th to 85th BMI percentile. The healthy weight range for someone of the same age and gender is .
Being overweight could have implications on their health such as increased risk of early diabetes, as well as health complications into adulthood. These include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease etc.
Because BMI is a measure of body weight and not body fat, muscular people and athletes could also have high BMI readings (and this is not usually a cause for concern).
Click for more information on understanding BMI results for children and teens.
Please note that BMI doesn’t give you a full picture of health. Check in with a pediatrician or family doctor regularly to stay on track.
SEVERELY OVERWEIGHT
Very high BMI percentile readings suggest this child or teen is likely to be obese. The healthy BMI range for aged is between , which falls into the 5th to 85th BMI percentile. The healthy weight range for someone of the same age and gender is .
Being obese could have health implications, such as increased risk of childhood diabetes, and health complications in adulthood, such as heart disease, stroke, and more.
Click for more information on understanding BMI results for children and teens.
Please note that BMI doesn’t give you a full picture of health. Check in with a pediatrician or family doctor regularly to stay on track.
What Do Your BMI Results Mean?
Below 18.5 — Underweight
A BMI score below 18.5 means you’re underweight, which suggests you’re either not eating enough to accommodate your lifestyle, you have trouble digesting food and absorbing nutrients, you’re regularly dealing with too much stress, or you may have an underlying illness.
While it can be perceived as desirable, being underweight can come with a range of health-related consequences for women.
If you’re underweight, and you’re not too sure of the cause, you should consult your doctor or healthcare provider.
Between 18.5–24.9 — Normal Weight
A BMI score between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered a normal body weight for women. This score usually indicates good health and no immediate health-related risks.
That said, women with a BMI score near either end of the range may want to consider adjusting their diet and lifestyle to ensure they maintain a healthy BMI.
Also, in some cases, a woman with a normal BMI score may still have a very high body-fat percentage, which can come with potential health risks. So if you’re concerned, you should consider alternative ways to measure your body composition.
Between 25–30 — Overweight
A BMI score between 25–30 means you’re in the overweight category. In most cases, having an “Overweight” BMI score indicates that you may need to begin exercising regularly and optimizing your diet to improve your BMI score.
However, having a BMI score in this range doesn’t always mean you are unhealthy — especially if you have an active lifestyle. As BMI only measures your body weight, you may have an elevated BMI due to higher muscle mass.
Above 30 — Obese
If your BMI score is above 30, you’re classed as obese. This means you may need to start considering ways to significantly improve your diet and lifestyle to improve your score.
There are many health risks associated with obesity, including coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, certain types of cancer, as well as psychological issues such as depression.
Above 40 — Severely Obese
A BMI score above 40 is considered severely obese, which comes with serious health risks. You should contact your doctor or health practitioner and begin following a proper weight loss and exercise plan.
What Are the Health Risks Associated with a High BMI?
Having a high BMI (classing a person as obese or severely obese) can increase a person’s risk of chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular-related diseases, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and more.
While there are risk factors associated with chronic disease, high BMI scores can also cause difficulty with general movements, such as difficulty walking, breathing, and added pressure on joints due to excess weight.
Women with a high BMI can also experience issues with their menstrual cycle, including irregular cycles.
A high BMI may also be an indicator of hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid), which can slow down your metabolism significantly.
Losing weight may seem like the obvious solution, but it's important for anyone considering losing weight to follow a proper weight-loss diet plan that does not promote near-instant weight loss (which is considered an unhealthy approach to weight loss).
What Are the Health Risks Associated with a Low BMI?
Women with a low BMI and a below-average body-fat percentage can be at risk of a range of issues, including deregulation of the hypothalamus, meaning your body’s ability to produce hormones, regulate body temperature, and ability to reproduce will all be inhibited greatly.
Some women with a very low BMI score can even experience a temporary loss of their menstrual cycle (known as hypothalamic amenorrhea), due to the body’s inability to produce the necessary hormones.
A low BMI may also be an indicator of an overactive thyroid, known as hyperthyroidism. While hyperthyroidism can result in increased weight loss, it can also lead to illnesses such as osteoporosis and heart-related issues.
Having a low BMI can also contribute to weakness, tiredness and fatigue, and depression.
This is why it’s important for women to ensure they’re following a healthy and balanced diet that includes enough calories to maintain healthy body weight.
What’s a Healthy Body-Fat Percentage for Women?
A healthy body-fat percentage for women is considered to be between 20%–30% — 20% considered a healthy range for younger women and up to around 30% for older women.
Having a healthy level of body fat is essential for women for many reasons, including the production of hormones like estrogen and progesterone.
It’s worth noting that your body fat percentage can differ depending on your lifestyle at any given time, so if your body-fat percentage is slightly higher or lower than average you shouldn’t worry too much about it.
While having a very high body-fat percentage can come with a range of health risks, such as cardiovascular issues, having a low body-fat percentage can equally come with health complications.
What Can You Do to Improve Your BMI Score?
Changing your diet, reducing your stress, and exercising regularly can all contribute to improving your BMI score.
Depending on your BMI score, you’ll need to regulate your diet to ensure you’re taking in the correct amount of calories and nutrients needed to maintain a healthy BMI.
Flash diets that promote fast weight loss/gain aren’t recommended. Instead, it’s best to create a diet plan that includes nutritionally-balanced, calorie-controlled meals. Intermittent fasting is also considered a good practice when following a weight loss diet.
Reducing stress is also an important factor in improving your BMI score. Stress has a significant impact on body composition, and it can affect people in different ways. Some people can be underweight due to elevated stress levels, while others may gain weight.
You can reduce stress by implementing simple relaxation practices into your daily routine, including deep breathing, meditation, and even yoga.
Regular exercise is essential, regardless of your BMI score. You don’t need to do anything too strenuous — walking for just 20 minutes per day can have many health benefits .
While exercising can have obvious weight-loss benefits, it’s also important to focus on the positive effects exercise can have on your mental and emotional health — you can leverage a healthy mindset to significantly increase your success in improving your BMI score.
Exercise may also increase your muscle mass, which in turn can make it appear as if your BMI is not improving. However, it’s important to understand that BMI scores aren’t always the most accurate measure of body-fat percentage.
Are BMI Scores Accurate?
BMI scores give most people a good ballpark estimate of their health, but it’s not a perfect indicator of overall health.
For instance, a lean athlete with a lot of muscle mass may be considered overweight on the BMI scale, despite having very low body fat. Also, a person that has a normal BMI may have a very high body-fat percentage, putting them at higher risk of health complications.
BMI is simply a calculation of your weight divided by your height2, and doesn’t take into account muscle mass, body-fat percentage, or bone density, all of which can vary greatly from person to person, especially as we age.
To get a more in-depth and accurate understanding of your body mass, including your body fat percentage and muscle mass, you can consider using other testing methods like body-fat calipers, simple waist measurement, the waist-to-hip ratio, and even MRI scans.
What’s a Healthy BMI During Pregnancy?
Many healthcare professionals recommend improving BMI scores before becoming pregnant to reduce the chances of complications during pregnancy.
However, the CDC outlines a healthy weight gain range during pregnancy depends on your BMI score before pregnancy. For example, if your BMI is in the normal range of 18.5–24.9 before pregnancy, it’s considered healthy for you to gain between 25–35lbs (11.3–15.8kg) during pregnancy.
Here are the healthy weight gain ranges depending on your pre-pregnancy BMI:
- BMI Below 18.5: 28lbs to 40lbs (12.7kg to 18.1kg)
- BMI Between 18.5–24.9: 25lbs to 35 lbs (11.3kg to 15.8kg)
- BMI Between 25–30: 15lbs to 25 lbs (6.8kg to 11.3kg)
- BMI Above 30: BMI Above 30: 11lbs to 20lbs (4.9kg to 9kg)
Note: The ranges above change if you’re pregnant with more than one baby.
Being overweight or obese can cause complications during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, miscarriage, and also increase the likelihood of needing a C-section.
FAQs
BMI scores can give a decent idea of your health, and you can easily find out your BMI using our BMI calculator for women.
However, BMI is not always a perfect measure of overall health, as it does not take into account body-fat percentage, muscle mass, or bone density. Studies have found that some people with a higher BMI can still be considered healthy, and some with a normal BMI score can be unhealthy.
You may have a high BMI despite having more muscle mass and low body fat. Or you may have a normal BMI but have a high body-fat percentage. Your BMI can also fluctuate depending on the time of day — your BMI may be lower in the morning and higher in the evening.
BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It’s a scoring system used as a general measure of overall health based on your weight and height.
Here’s the formula for calculating BMI:Weight (kilograms or pounds) ÷ Height (centimeters or feet and inches)2.
- Underweight (BMI score below 18.5)
- Normal (BMI score between 18.5–24.9)
- Overweight (BMI score between 25–30)
- Obese (BMI score above 30)
- Severely obese (BMI score above 40)
For most people, BMI scores will give a good idea of their current health and can signal any potential risks or health complications.
However, BMI calculations only use total body weight and don’t separate muscle mass from body fat or bone density, so it’s not the most accurate indicator of overall health. For example, someone may fall into the “Normal” category yet have a very high body-fat percentage, putting them at higher risk of certain diseases.
To calculate your BMI, you’ll need an accurate measurement of your height (in centimeters or feet and inches) and weight (in kilograms or pounds).Then input your height and weight into our BMI calculator for women and click Calculate. You’ll then be shown your BMI score.
While there is no “perfect” BMI score, a good BMI score for women is between 18.5 and 24.9.
If your BMI score is within this range, you’re considered to have a “normal” BMI. Anything above this range is considered overweight or obese. Anything below is classed as underweight.
However, having a “normal” BMI isn't always an indicator of good health — a person with a normal BMI may be carrying too much body fat, which elevates their risk of health issues. That said, t’s important for women to maintain a healthy level of body fat.
Our BMI calculator for women uses both imperial and metric measurements and allows you to find out your BMI score almost instantly.
Disclaimer
Delivery Rank’s BMI calculator for women is for educational purposes only, and it is not intended to replace a health assessment carried out by a professional healthcare provider.
If you’re seeking professional medical advice, it’s always best to contact your healthcare provider.
Delivery Rank is not liable for any issues that may arise from using the information displayed on our BMI calculator for women.