Check Your BMI
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a quick screening number based on your height and weight. Enter yours to see where you stand - nothing you set is saved or sent anywhere.
How to read your BMI
| Category | BMI (kg/m²) |
|---|---|
| Underweight | Below 18.5 |
| Healthy range | 18.5 – 22.9 |
| Overweight | 23 – 24.9 |
| Obese | 25 and above |
How your BMI relates to diabetes
- Weight and insulin. Extra body fat, especially around the belly, makes cells respond less to insulin. The pancreas has to make more insulin to keep blood sugar normal, and over the years it can fall behind. This is how type 2 diabetes develops.
- Risk rises with BMI. The higher the BMI, the higher the chance of type 2 diabetes. People with a BMI in the obese range have several times the risk of those in the healthy range.
- Indians are affected at lower BMIs. At the same BMI, South Asians tend to carry more belly fat and develop diabetes earlier. That is why the overweight cut-off here is 23, not 25.
- Waist size matters too. BMI does not show where fat sits. A waist above 90 cm in men or 80 cm in women raises the risk even when BMI looks fine.
- Small losses help. In large prevention studies, losing 5-7% of body weight through food and activity cut the chance of developing type 2 diabetes by more than half in people at high risk.
- If you already have diabetes, a healthier weight usually makes blood sugar easier to control and can reduce the medicines needed. Never change prescribed medicines without your doctor.
- BMI cannot diagnose diabetes. Only a blood test can: fasting sugar, post-meal sugar or HbA1c. If your BMI is 23 or above, ask your doctor about testing.
BMI is a general screening measure, not a diagnosis. It does not measure body fat or muscle, and it can read differently for athletes, older adults, and during pregnancy. This calculator uses the cut-offs recommended for Asian and Indian adults (overweight from 23, obese from 25); the international WHO cut-offs are 25 and 30. Sugar Knocker is a dietary supplement, not a medicine - please speak to your doctor about your weight and health.
Common questions
What is a normal BMI for Indians?
On Asian cut-offs, 18.5 to 22.9 is normal, 23 to 24.9 is overweight and 25 or more is obese. Under 18.5 is underweight.
Why are the Indian BMI cut-offs lower?
Indians tend to have more body fat and belly fat at a lower BMI, and develop diabetes and heart disease at lower weights, so WHO Asia-Pacific and Indian guidelines use lower thresholds.
How is BMI calculated?
BMI = weight in kg ÷ (height in metres)². For example 70 kg at 1.65 m is 70 ÷ 2.72 = 25.7.
Is BMI accurate for everyone?
No. BMI does not see muscle or where fat sits. Check your waist size too; see the waist ratio calculator.
How does BMI relate to diabetes?
A higher BMI, especially with a large waist, raises the risk of type 2 diabetes. Losing even 5% of body weight improves sugar control for many people.