--- title: "BMI Calculator India: ICMR-NIN Asian Cut-offs | AumnI tools" description: "Check BMI against the ICMR-NIN Asian cut-offs, overweight from 23 and obesity from 27.5, in kilograms and feet and inches, with a weight range for your height." url: https://aumnitools.com/in/tool/bmi-calculator category: "Health" country: "India" updated: 2026-11-08 --- # BMI Calculator In India, BMI is read against the lower Asian cut-offs in the ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines, so a number that is Healthy under WHO bands can read Overweight here. This page starts in kilograms and feet and inches, labels the result Underweight, Normal, Overweight or Obesity, and gives the Normal weight range for your height. Ask your doctor to interpret it. ## India rules and figures - The ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 give four bands: Underweight below 18.5, Normal 18.5 to 22.9, Overweight 23 to 27.4 and Obesity from 27.5. - ICMR-NIN uses these Asian cut-offs for all Indian adults, because Asians tend to carry more body fat at a given BMI. - The Normal band ends at 22.9, so the upper end of the weight range is lower than on pages that use 24.9, by roughly 6 kg at 5 ft 7 in. - The sections of the guideline checked do not give BMI cut-offs for children, so the page treats the bands as adult-only. Sources: [ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024](https://nin.res.in/dietaryguidelines/pdfjs/locale/DGI_2024.pdf) (checked 2026-11-08) ## How the BMI calculator works Feet and inches are converted to metres, weight in kilograms is divided by height squared, and the result is placed in one of four ICMR-NIN bands. Formula: `BMI = kg ÷ m². ICMR-NIN cut-offs: Underweight under 18.5, Normal up to 22.9, Overweight 23 to 27.4, Obesity at 27.5 and above` - Height opens in feet and inches and weight in kilograms, with 5 ft 7 in and 70 kg entered. A unit you choose is kept. - The Normal weight range ends at 22.9 × height², where the WHO-style 24.9 would end later. At 5 ft 7 in that is 53.6 to 66.3 kg, not 53.6 to 72.1 kg. - ICMR-NIN uses the same cut-offs for all Indian adults because Asians tend to carry more body fat at a given BMI, so there is no ethnicity checkbox on this page. - The bands are for adults. The sections of the guideline checked give no BMI cut-offs for children. ## How to use the BMI calculator 1. **Enter height in feet and inches.** The page opens on ft with two boxes, one for feet and one for inches. Switch to cm if you know your height in centimetres. 2. **Enter weight in kilograms.** Type your weight from the scale. The unit box also offers lb and st. 3. **Read the ICMR-NIN band.** The label under your BMI is Underweight, Normal, Overweight or Obesity, and the Healthy Weight Range line shows the Normal band in kilograms. 4. **Compare with the other methods.** Standard BMI uses the Indian bands. Age-Adjusted BMI and BMI Prime are shown in the comparison list for reference. 5. **Add waist and keep a record.** Enter waist in centimetres on the Body Composition tab, then use Save Entry to log the reading in this browser. ## Example: 5 ft 7 in and 70 kg, then 5 ft 4 in and 62 kg The opening values, 5 ft 7 in and 70 kg, give 24.2 and the label Overweight, with a Normal range of 53.6 to 66.3 kg. A person of 5 ft 4 in and 62 kg gets 23.5, also Overweight, against a Normal range of 48.9 to 60.5 kg. WHO-style bands would call both of those Healthy weight. ## When to use the BMI calculator - **Reading a result against Asian cut-offs.** Enter your measurements to see whether you fall in Normal or Overweight on the ICMR-NIN bands. - **Finding the Normal weight range.** Read the Healthy Weight Range line for the lowest and highest kilograms in the Normal band at your height. - **Comparing with a foreign report.** See why the same BMI reads Healthy in a WHO-style report but Overweight on the Indian bands. ## What the BMI calculator does not do - The page applies one set of cut-offs to every adult and cannot tell you your personal risk. - BMI cannot separate muscle from fat, so a very muscular adult can read Overweight. - ICMR-NIN does not publish the age-adjusted lines (23, 28, 33) that appear from age 65 under that method. - The result is a screening figure. A doctor can interpret it alongside waist size, blood tests and family history. ## When something else is a better fit - **When you prefer body fat from tape measurements to a BMI figure**, use the [Body Fat Calculator](https://aumnitools.com/tool/body-fat-calculator.md). - **When you are looking for formula-based target weights at your height**, use the [Ideal Weight Calculator](https://aumnitools.com/tool/ideal-weight-calculator.md). - **When you want your result explained for your health**, use a doctor or qualified dietitian, who can add waist size and test results. ## Questions about the BMI calculator ### Why does my BMI read Overweight at 24? ICMR-NIN puts overweight from 23, lower than the WHO-style 25, because Asians tend to carry more body fat at a given BMI. A BMI of 24.2 is Overweight on this page. ### What is the Normal BMI range in India? The ICMR-NIN Normal band is 18.5 to 22.9. Beneath it is Underweight, and above it Overweight runs from 23 to 27.4 before Obesity begins at 27.5. ### Do I need to tick a box for Asian cut-offs? No. ICMR-NIN uses the Asian cut-offs for all Indian adults, so they apply automatically on this page. Other countries' pages that offer a lower-threshold box do so only where their health body gives numbers. ### Can I check a child's BMI here? No. These bands are for adults, and the ICMR-NIN sections checked give no BMI cut-offs for children. A paediatrician or doctor can assess a child with growth charts. ## Related tools - [Body Fat Calculator](https://aumnitools.com/tool/body-fat-calculator.md): Estimates body fat from neck, waist and height tape measurements with the US Navy formula - [Ideal Weight Calculator](https://aumnitools.com/tool/ideal-weight-calculator.md): Runs six ideal weight formulas for your height and shows the BMI 18.5 to 24.9 weight band - [Calorie Calculator](https://aumnitools.com/tool/calorie-calculator.md): Estimates BMR and daily calorie needs, with gram targets for protein, carbs and fat ## About this page Runs in your browser: what you enter is processed on this device and is not uploaded. Age, gender, goals and saved entries are kept in this browser's local storage and are never uploaded. General information only, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or other health professional about decisions that affect your health. Last checked against the tool's code on 2026-11-08. Interactive version: https://aumnitools.com/in/tool/bmi-calculator