🇿🇦 South Africa 🌍 WHO 🌏 Asia-Pacific 🇯🇵 Japan
BMI Calculator
Body Mass Index — WHO international standards for South African users
Quick Answer
South Africa follows WHO BMI standards. Normal weight: BMI 18.5–24.9. Overweight: 25–29.9. Obese: 30 and above. South Africa has one of the highest adult obesity rates in sub-Saharan Africa — approximately 40% of adult women and 15% of adult men are classified as obese by WHO standards.
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
- 1Convert height to metres175 cm ÷ 1001.75 m
- 2Apply BMI formula: weight ÷ height²70 ÷ (1.75)² = 70 ÷ 3.0625BMI = 22.9
- 3Classify against international standardsWHO: <18.5 under, 18.5–24.9 normal, 25–29.9 over, ≥30 obeseWHO: Normal weight · Asia-Pacific: Normal weight
- 4BMI Prime (BMI ÷ 25)22.9 ÷ 250.92
BMI classification — South Africa and international
| Category | 🌍 WHO | 🌏 Asia-Pacific | 🇯🇵 Japan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underweight | < 18.5 | < 18.5 | < 18.5 |
| Healthy 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 BMI standards does South Africa use? ▾
South Africa's Department of Health applies WHO standards: underweight below 18.5, normal 18.5–24.9, overweight 25–29.9, and obese 30 and above. The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) publishes health statistics using these benchmarks.