🇨🇦 Canada 🌍 WHO 🌏 Asia-Pacific 🇯🇵 Japan

BMI Calculator — Canada

Body Mass Index · WHO Standard · Canadian Health Statistics

QUICK ANSWER

WHO normal BMI: 18.5–24.9. In Canada, 29.4% of adults are obese and 61.8% are overweight or obese (Canadian Community Health Survey 2022). Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) use WHO thresholds: normal 18.5–24.9, overweight 25–29.9, obese ≥30. For Canadians of Asian descent, Health Canada acknowledges that health risks begin at lower BMI values. Canada's obesity rate has more than doubled since 1985.

22.9
Your BMI

WHO scale

1518.5253040
Healthy weight (WHO)
56.7 kg – 76.3 kg
BMI 18.5–24.9 for this height
Asia-Pacific normal
56.7 kg – 70.1 kg
Upper cut-off BMI 22.9
BMI Prime
0.92
BMI ÷ 25. 1.0 = WHO overweight line
🌍WHO
Normal weight
US, Europe, Australia
🇨🇳China
Normal weight
WGOC 2004 standard
🌏Asia-Pacific
Normal weight
Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan
🇯🇵Japan
Normal weight
Japan, South Korea

  1. 1
    Convert height to metres
    175 cm ÷ 100
    1.75 m
  2. 2
    Apply BMI formula: weight ÷ height²
    70 ÷ (1.75)² = 70 ÷ 3.0625
    BMI = 22.9
  3. 3
    Classify against international standards
    WHO: <18.5 under, 18.5–24.9 normal, 25–29.9 over, ≥30 obese
    WHO: Normal weight · Asia-Pacific: Normal weight
  4. 4
    BMI Prime (BMI ÷ 25)
    22.9 ÷ 25
    0.92

BMI classification — Canada and international

Category 🌍 WHO 🌏 Asia-Pacific 🇯🇵 Japan
Underweight < 18.5 < 18.5 < 18.5
Normal weight 18.5 – 24.9 18.5 – 22.9 18.5 – 24.9
Overweight 25 – 29.9 23 – 27.4 ≥ 25 (Obese)
Obese ≥ 30 ≥ 27.5 —

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the obesity rate in Canada? ▾
29.4% of Canadian adults are obese and 61.8% are overweight or obese per the Canadian Community Health Survey 2022. Canada's obesity rate has more than doubled since 1985 (13.8%). Rates are highest in Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia: 31.7%) and lowest in British Columbia (23.3%). Indigenous peoples in Canada have obesity rates significantly above the national average.
What BMI standard does Health Canada use? ▾
Health Canada uses WHO BMI thresholds: underweight <18.5, normal weight 18.5–24.9, overweight 25.0–29.9, obese class I: 30–34.9, class II: 35–39.9, class III: ≥40. For Canadians of Asian descent, Health Canada notes that health risks may begin at BMI 23 (overweight) and 27.5 (obese) — consistent with Asia-Pacific guidelines.
How does Canadian BMI differ between provinces? ▾
Obesity rates vary significantly: British Columbia has the lowest rate (23.3%) while Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest (36.0%). Urban centres have lower obesity rates than rural and remote communities. The Public Health Agency of Canada publishes annual provincial obesity data in the Tackling Obesity in Canada report series.