Using “Weight for Height” Tables
Access a web site like Weight for Height Table to see a “Weight for Height” table. Most of these tables use your sex and body height to determine an average range of pounds for you. Sometimes weight range for height is not a good match for an individual, or the table has not been updated for ten years or more, but it does give one form of looking at body size.
Using Body Mass Index Calculations
Another method that is a common standard in the medical field to better estimate level of body “fatness” is the BMI or Body Mass Index. It has a fairly easy formula using weight and height measurement that corresponds well with estimates of body fat using more complex laboratory methods. In different population studies, it also has been shown to be a reliable way to determine health risks associated with excessive body fat.
To Calculate BMI
- Multiply your body weight in pounds X 705 = _______ .
- Divide result from Step 1 by your height in inches =______.
- Divide result from Step 2 by your height in inches again = ___________ (This is your BMI).
Example: BMI for a man with a weight of 200 lbs. and height of 6'4” is 34 which puts him in the Obese range.
Step 1: 200 X 705 = 141,000
Step 2: 141,000 divided by 76 = 1,855
Step 3: 1,855 divided by 76 = 24
BMI Ranges
- Underweight = 17 and below
- Healthy Weight = 18 to 25
- Overweight = 25 to 30
- Obese = 30 and above