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How to Tell If You Are Overweight for Your Height

Maintaining a healthy weight for your height reduces the risk of health problems such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Body Mass Index (BMI), which is an estimate of body fat calculated from a person's height and weight, is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to determine if you are considered overweight or obese. The following are some steps you can take to check to see if you are overweight for your height.

Things You'll Need

  • Weighing scales
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Tape measure
  • Calculator
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Instructions

  1. Kilograms and Meters (or Centimeters)

    • 1

      Obtain an accurate measurement of your weight in kilograms using scales.

    • 2

      Obtain an accurate measurement of your height in centimeters. Stand with your back to a wall, and hold a ruler against the top of your head at a 90 degree angle to the wall. Make a small mark on the wall with a pencil at the point where the ruler meets the wall. Measure the distance between the floor and the mark in centimeters using a measuring tape.

    • 3

      Divide your height in centimeters by 100 to obtain your height in meters. For example, 170 centimeters divided by 100 equals 1.7 meters.

    • 4

      Multiple your height in meters by itself. For example, 1.7 multiplied by 1.7 equals 2.89.

    • 5

      Divide your weight in kilograms by the figure you obtained in step 4. Round the resulting figure off to two decimal points, and this is your BMI. For example, 69 kilograms divided by 2.89 translates to a BMI of 23.88.

    • 6

      Interpret your BMI using the standard weight status categories. These can be obtained from your doctor or online at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Weight Control Information Network, and other websites. For example, a BMI of 23.88 falls in the weight category that is considered healthy.

    Pounds and Inches

    • 7

      Obtain an accurate measurement of your weight in pounds using scales.

    • 8

      Obtain an accurate measurement of your height in inches by standing with your back to a wall, and holding a ruler against the top of your head, at a 90 degree angle to the wall. Make a small mark on the wall with a pencil at the point where the ruler meets the wall. Measure the distance between the floor and the mark using a measuring tape.

    • 9

      Multiple your height in inches by itself. For example, 67 multiplied by 67 equals 4489.

    • 10

      Divide your weight in pounds by the figure you obtained in step 3. For example, 152 pounds divided by 4489 equals 0.03.

    • 11

      Multiply the figure you obtained in step 4 by 703. Round the resulting figure off to two decimal points. This is your BMI. For example, 0.03 multiplied by 703 gives a BMI of 21.09.

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