BMI for ages 50 to 54
A BMI for the 50 to 54 age group takes only height and weight. The sample below uses 5 ft 5 in and 168 lb.
How it works
To get BMI, square your height in meters, then divide your weight in kilograms by that number. You can enter pounds and inches, and the page converts them. The numbers on this page are 76.2 kg and 2.726 square meters, for 5 ft 5 in.
Worked example
Take 5 ft 5 in and 168 lb. That is 1.6510 m and 76.2 kg. The BMI is 76.2 ÷ (1.6510 × 1.6510) = 76.2 ÷ 2.726 = 28.0, which the adult bands call overweight.
Common questions
Does age or sex change the adult BMI result?
The number itself does not change. The formula uses only height and weight. Some health bodies suggest different cut points for some groups. Ask your doctor what suits you. At age 52 the result for 5 ft 5 in and 168 lb is 28.0, the same as at any other adult age.
How is the 111 to 150 lb range worked out?
It is the weight that gives a BMI of 18.5 and the weight that gives 24.9 at 5 ft 5 in. The calculator reverses the formula for you. At 5 ft 5 in that range is 39 lb wide.
What BMI range counts as a healthy weight for adults?
Under 18.5 is underweight. 18.5 to 24.9 is a healthy weight. 25 to 29.9 is overweight. 30 or more is obesity. At 5 ft 5 in, a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 works out to 111 to 150 lb.
Does BMI measure body fat?
No. BMI only uses height and weight. Two people with the same BMI can carry very different amounts of fat and muscle. At 5 ft 5 in and 168 lb, the BMI of 28.0 comes from those two numbers alone.
Is BMI accurate for muscular people?
It can read high for someone with a lot of muscle, because muscle weighs more than the same volume of fat. A body fat measurement gives a better picture in that case. At 168 lb, the BMI of 28.0 says nothing about how much of that weight is muscle.