BMI Calculation and Classification
For a person weighing 68.5 kg and 167 cm tall, the BMI is 24.6 kg/m², which falls within the normal/healthy weight range (18.5-24.9 kg/m²) according to American Heart Association guidelines. 1
BMI Calculation
The BMI is calculated using the formula: weight (kg) / [height (m)]² 2
- Weight: 68.5 kg
- Height: 167 cm = 1.67 m
- BMI = 68.5 / (1.67)² = 68.5 / 2.79 = 24.6 kg/m²
Weight Classification
According to the American Heart Association's standard BMI classification system, this individual falls into the normal/healthy weight category 1:
- Underweight: BMI < 18.5 kg/m² 1
- Normal/Healthy Weight: BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m² 1
- Overweight: BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m² 1
- Obese: BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m² 1
Health Implications
This BMI of 24.6 kg/m² is associated with the lowest risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and overall mortality. 3 The American Cancer Society specifically recommends maintaining a BMI between 18.5 and 25.0 kg/m² to minimize these health risks 3.
At this BMI level, the individual is at the upper end of the healthy weight range, just 0.4 kg/m² below the overweight threshold 1.
Important Considerations
For Asian populations, different BMI thresholds apply. The World Health Organization recommends lower cutoffs for Asian individuals, with overweight defined as BMI ≥ 23.0 kg/m² and obesity as BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m² 3, 2. If this individual is of Asian descent, a BMI of 24.6 kg/m² would be classified as overweight rather than normal weight 2.
BMI should be supplemented with waist circumference measurement for a more complete cardiovascular risk assessment 3. The American Heart Association defines high-risk waist circumference as > 88 cm (> 35 inches) for women and > 102 cm (> 40 inches) for men 3.
Limitations to Note
BMI does not distinguish between lean muscle mass and fat mass, potentially misclassifying individuals with high muscle mass 3. Additionally, BMI does not account for body fat distribution, particularly visceral adiposity, which carries higher metabolic risk 4.