What is a healthy BMI in Sri Lanka?

Under the Asia-Pacific cut-offs that Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health uses, a healthy (normal) BMI is 18.5 to 22.9. From 23.0 you are classed as overweight with increased risk, and from 25.0 as obese. This is stricter than the WHO international range of 18.5–24.9.

Why do Asians have a lower BMI cut-off for overweight?

South Asians tend to carry more body fat and more visceral (abdominal) fat at the same BMI as Europeans, so cardiometabolic risk — type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease — starts at a lower BMI. The WHO 2004 expert consultation set 23.0 and 27.5 as public-health action points for Asian populations for this reason.

Is a BMI of 24 overweight in Sri Lanka?

Yes. A BMI of 24 falls in the 23.0–24.9 band, which the Sri Lankan / Asian scale classifies as overweight (increased risk). Global calculators using the WHO international scale would call the same BMI 'normal', which is exactly the gap this tool highlights.

What is the ideal weight for my height in Sri Lanka?

Multiply the healthy BMI band (18.5 to 22.9) by your height in metres squared. For 1.70 m that is 18.5 × 2.89 = 53.5 kg up to 22.9 × 2.89 = 66.2 kg. The calculator does this for you and shows how many kilograms you are above or below that range.

What BMI is considered obese for Sri Lankans?

On the Asia-Pacific scale, obesity begins at BMI 25.0. The tool splits it into Obese I (25.0–29.9, moderate) and Obese II (30.0 and above, severe). On the WHO international scale, obesity only begins at 30.0, so a Sri Lankan reading and a WHO reading can differ by a whole category.

Is BMI accurate for muscular or very fit people?

BMI is a screening tool, not a body-fat measurement. It cannot tell muscle from fat, so athletes and heavily muscled people can read 'overweight' while carrying little fat. For a fuller picture, pair BMI with waist-to-height or waist-to-hip ratio, and speak to a healthcare professional.

Can I use this calculator for my child?

No. For anyone under 18, weight status is judged with BMI-for-age growth percentiles, not the fixed adult thresholds here. If you enter an age below 18 the tool flags this and points you to a child growth-chart tool instead.

Does BMI work the same during pregnancy or after 65?

Not exactly. BMI is not designed for pregnancy, and a slightly higher BMI can be protective in older adults. The formula still runs, but treat the result as a rough screen and confirm interpretation with your doctor. The tool shows a note when you enter an age of 65 or more.

Sri Lanka · Health

Sri Lanka BMI Calculator (Asian Cut-Offs)

Work out your Body Mass Index and read it on the Asian cut-offs Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health actually uses — where overweight starts at BMI 23, not 25 — next to the WHO scale, plus your healthy weight range for your height.

By Induwara Ashinsana— Executive Director, Ryzera TechnologiesUpdated Jul 8, 2026

Check your BMIAsian & WHO scales

Sri Lanka cut-offs

Height

Weight

Age (optional)

yrs

Used only for guidance notes — never in the BMI formula.

Sex (optional)

Sex does not change the BMI value; it is guidance only.

Try an example

Your BMI24.2kg/m²

Sri Lankan / AsianPrimary

Overweight (increased risk)

WHO international

Normal

Where you sit (Sri Lankan scale)

18.5232530

Healthy weight for your height

53.5 – 66.2 kg

117.9 – 145.9 lb (BMI 18.5–22.9)

Distance to healthy range

3.8 kg above healthy range

8.4 lb above the range

BMI is a screening measure, not a diagnosis of body fat. Very muscular people, pregnant people, and some ethnic groups need extra context. For medical advice, consult a healthcare professional.

Cut-offs from the WHO Asia-Pacific classification (WPRO 2000), adopted by Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health.

How it works

Body Mass Index is the Quetelet index: your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in metres.

BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height (m)²

If you enter imperial units the tool converts them first — height in metres is (feet × 12 + inches) × 0.0254 and weight in kilograms is pounds × 0.45359237. The result is then cross-checked against the imperial form BMI = 703 × lb ÷ inches², which agrees to within about 0.01%. BMI is age- and sex-independent, so the formula is the same for everyone; age and sex here only trigger guidance notes.

The difference this tool makes is in the classification. Global calculators use the WHO international bands — normal 18.5–24.9, overweight 25.0–29.9, obese 30.0 and above. But South Asians develop higher body fat and higher cardiometabolic risk at a lower BMI, so the WHO 2004 expert consultation defined lower action points (23.0 and 27.5) for Asian populations, and the WHO/IASO/IOTF Asia-Pacific guidance set the working bands used across South Asian clinical practice. Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health adopts these for national non-communicable-disease management.

The Sri Lankan / Asian bands this tool applies as the primary result:

Below 18.5 : Underweight
18.5 – 22.9 : Normal
23.0 – 24.9 : Overweight (increased risk)
25.0 – 29.9 : Obese I (moderate)
30.0 and above : Obese II (severe)

The healthy weight range for your height comes straight from the Normal band: the lower limit is 18.5 × height² and the upper limit is 22.9 × height², both in kilograms. If your BMI is in the Normal band you are within range; otherwise the tool reports the exact number of kilograms between your weight and the nearest edge of the healthy range. Nothing is sent to a server — the whole calculation runs in your browser.

Worked examples

Same person, two verdicts — 170 cm, 70 kg

Height in metres: 170 ÷ 100 = 1.70 m; squared = 2.89
BMI = 70 ÷ 2.89 = 24.2
Sri Lankan / Asian: 24.2 is in 23.0–24.9 → Overweight (increased risk)
WHO international: 24.2 is in 18.5–24.9 → Normal
Healthy range: 18.5 × 2.89 = 53.5 kg to 22.9 × 2.89 = 66.2 kg
Delta: 70 − 66.2 = 3.8 kg above the healthy range

Clearly normal — 160 cm, 55 kg

Height in metres: 1.60 m; squared = 2.56
BMI = 55 ÷ 2.56 = 21.5
Sri Lankan / Asian: Normal (18.5–22.9)
WHO international: Normal (18.5–24.9)
Healthy range: 47.4 kg to 58.6 kg → within range

Obese on both scales — 175 cm, 90 kg

Height in metres: 1.75 m; squared = 3.0625
BMI = 90 ÷ 3.0625 = 29.4
Sri Lankan / Asian: 25.0–29.9 → Obese I (moderate)
WHO international: 25.0–29.9 → Overweight
Healthy range: 56.7 kg to 70.1 kg
Delta: 90 − 70.1 = 19.9 kg above the healthy range

Frequently asked questions

Sources & references

The cut-offs on this page were last cross-checked against the sources above on 2026-07-08. BMI classifications change rarely; the page is reviewed whenever the WHO or Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health revises its guidance.

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