# What is my Asian BMI?

Computes body mass index and reads it against the WHO expert consultation action points for Asian populations (23, 27.5, 32.5 and 37.5), with the standard adult category beside them.

- Page: https://www.acalculator.org/health/asian-bmi-calculator
- JSON spec: https://www.acalculator.org/health/asian-bmi-calculator.json
- Version: 07e6f85c27cc

## Default answer

Example with the default inputs (Height 5 ft 7 in, Weight 150 lb): Your BMI is 23.49. Against the Asian action points: Action point 23 reached (23 to under 27.5).

## Inputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| height | Height | Your height without shoes. |
| weight | Weight | Your body weight. |

## Outputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| bmi | Your BMI | Body mass index: weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. |
| category | Asian action point | Where the BMI falls against the WHO consultation’s action points for Asian populations. |
| standard | Standard adult category | The standard category: underweight below 18.5, healthy to under 25, overweight to under 30, then obesity. |
| lowWeight | Weight at BMI 18.5 | The weight that gives a BMI of 18.5 at this height: 18.5 × height². |
| highWeight | Weight at BMI 23 | The weight that gives a BMI of 23 at this height: 23 × height². |

## Method

BMI = weight ÷ height², with weight in kilograms and height in metres; compared with 18.5, 23, 27.5, 32.5 and 37.5.

## Assumptions

- The action points are from the WHO expert consultation of 2004. It kept the standard cut-offs as the international classification and added these as potential points for public health action.
- The consultation did not set one cut-off for all Asians: the BMI at which risk rises differs between Asian populations.
- Limits are compared on the exact BMI, not the rounded BMI on screen, so 22.996 shows as 23 but is under 23.
- BMI is a screening measure for adults. It does not measure body fat directly and does not diagnose health.

## Worked examples

1. weight = 68.038856, height = 1.651 gives bmi = 24.96, category = Action point 23 reached (23 to under 27.5), standard = Healthy weight. Source: WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 2004;363(9403):157-163 (further potential public health action points at 23.0, 27.5, 32.5 and 37.5 kg/m²; erratum in Lancet 2004;363(9412):902), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14726171/ (retrieved 2026-11-01); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Adult BMI Categories, https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/bmi-categories.html.
2. weight = 66.47, height = 1.7 gives bmi = 23, category = Action point 23 reached (23 to under 27.5), lowWeight = 53.5, highWeight = 66.5. Source: WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 2004;363(9403):157-163 (further potential public health action points at 23.0, 27.5, 32.5 and 37.5 kg/m²; erratum in Lancet 2004;363(9412):902), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14726171/ (retrieved 2026-11-01).
3. weight = 70, height = 1.75 gives bmi = 22.86, category = Below the first action point (18.5 to under 23), standard = Healthy weight, lowWeight = 56.7, highWeight = 70.4. Source: WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 2004;363(9403):157-163 (further potential public health action points at 23.0, 27.5, 32.5 and 37.5 kg/m²; erratum in Lancet 2004;363(9412):902), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14726171/ (retrieved 2026-11-01).
4. weight = 80, height = 1.7 gives bmi = 27.68, category = Action point 27.5 reached (27.5 to under 32.5), standard = Overweight. Source: WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 2004;363(9403):157-163 (further potential public health action points at 23.0, 27.5, 32.5 and 37.5 kg/m²; erratum in Lancet 2004;363(9412):902), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14726171/ (retrieved 2026-11-01); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Adult BMI Categories, https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/bmi-categories.html.
5. weight = 100, height = 1.7 gives bmi = 34.6, category = Action point 32.5 reached (32.5 to under 37.5), standard = Obesity. Source: WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 2004;363(9403):157-163 (further potential public health action points at 23.0, 27.5, 32.5 and 37.5 kg/m²; erratum in Lancet 2004;363(9412):902), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14726171/ (retrieved 2026-11-01); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Adult BMI Categories, https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/bmi-categories.html.
6. weight = 115, height = 1.7 gives bmi = 39.79, category = Action point 37.5 reached (37.5 or more), standard = Obesity. Source: WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 2004;363(9403):157-163 (further potential public health action points at 23.0, 27.5, 32.5 and 37.5 kg/m²; erratum in Lancet 2004;363(9412):902), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14726171/ (retrieved 2026-11-01); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Adult BMI Categories, https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/bmi-categories.html.
7. weight = 50, height = 1.7 gives bmi = 17.3, category = Underweight (below 18.5), standard = Underweight. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Adult BMI Categories, https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/bmi-categories.html.

## FAQ

### What is a healthy BMI for Asians?

A WHO expert consultation in 2004 kept the standard cut-offs as the international classification, and added further potential public health action points at 23, 27.5, 32.5 and 37.5 for Asian populations. It did not set one healthy range for all Asians.

### Why are the numbers lower for Asian people?

The consultation found that the BMI at which risk appears varies between Asian populations: from 22 to 25 for observed risk, and from 26 to 31 for high risk. Those ranges start below the standard overweight cut-off of 25.

### Is the formula different?

No. BMI is the same: weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Only the numbers you compare it with differ.

### What should I do if my BMI is above 23?

A BMI above 23 is a point for attention, not a diagnosis. BMI does not measure body fat directly, so talk with your doctor about what it means for you.

### Why does the page show two results?

The consultation kept the standard categories as the international classification, so both are worth seeing. 150 lb at 5 ft 5 in has a BMI of 24.96: past the action point at 23, but still healthy weight on the standard scale.

### Does this apply to children?

No. These numbers are for adults. Children and teens use BMI-for-age percentiles instead.

## Sources

- WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet. 2004;363(9403):157-163 (abstract: observed risk 22 to 25, high risk 26 to 31, WHO cut-offs kept, further potential public health action points 23.0, 27.5, 32.5 and 37.5). Erratum in: Lancet. 2004;363(9412):902. Retrieved 2026-11-01. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14726171/
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Adult BMI Categories (underweight below 18.5; healthy 18.5 to under 25; overweight 25 to under 30; obesity 30 or more). Retrieved 2026-11-01. https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/bmi-categories.html
- NIST Guide to the SI (SP 811), Appendix B.8: the inch is exactly 0.0254 m; the avoirdupois pound is 0.4535924 kg to seven figures. Retrieved 2026-11-01. https://www.nist.gov/pml/special-publication-811/nist-guide-si-appendix-b-conversion-factors/nist-guide-si-appendix-b8