BMI for Asian and other backgrounds

Your BMI on the NICE lower thresholds of 23 and 27.5, with the standard scale alongside so you can see the difference for yourself.

Your details

Family background
Weight
Height
Age (optional)
Waist (optional)

For adults 18 and over. Not for use in pregnancy.

Your BMI

25.2

Overweight on the lower thresholds

  • Lower thresholds (South Asian)Overweight
  • Standard thresholdsOverweight
  • Healthy range (lower)7 st 10 lb to 9 st 7 lb
  • To reach BMI 22.913.6 lb less, at your own pace. Even 5% (7.4 lb) helps blood sugar and blood pressure
  • Obesity line for you (BMI 27.5)11 st 6 lb
  • Waist to height ratioadd your waist: NICE uses the same 0.5 line for every background

Both sets of thresholds put you in the same band. Type 2 diabetes tends to start at a lower weight and a younger age in these groups, which is why the lines are lower.

Your GP practice or pharmacy can check your blood pressure and type 2 diabetes risk, and the NHS Health Check is free from 40 to 74 in England.

Who this is for

The backgrounds NICE names

NICE guideline NG246 recommends lower BMI thresholds for adults with a South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean family background. Research in these groups found that type 2 diabetes and heart disease become more likely at a lower BMI than in people of white European heritage.

BMILower thresholdsStandard
18.5 to 22.9Healthy weightHealthy weight
23 to 24.9OverweightHealthy weight
25 to 27.4OverweightOverweight
27.5 to 29.9ObesityOverweight
30 and overObesityObesity

The working

Same sum, different bands

The BMI itself is the same: weight in kg divided by height in metres squared. 10 st 7 lb is 66.7 kg and 5 ft 4 in is 1.626 m, so BMI = 66.7 ÷ 2.643 = 25.2. That is overweight on both scales, but at 23.5 it would be overweight on the lower scale and healthy on the standard one.

What next

If the lower scale puts you higher

It does not mean anything is wrong. It means a check is worth having sooner. Adults in England aged 40 to 74 can ask for a free NHS Health Check, and your GP can test blood sugar (HbA1c) if you are worried about diabetes.

Your numbers

Gap to the line, waist and checks by age

At 5 ft 4 in (1.626 m), BMI 22.9 is 22.9 × 2.643 = 60.5 kg (9 st 7 lb), so at 10 st 7 lb you are about 6.2 kg (13.6 lb) over the top of the lower healthy range. A first 5% (3.3 kg) already helps blood sugar and blood pressure. The obesity line on the lower scale, BMI 27.5, is 72.7 kg (11 st 6 lb) for that height.

Add your waist for the waist to height ratio: NICE uses the same 0.5 line for everyone, so it is a fair second check whatever your background. Add your age and we point you to the right check: NICE PH38 encourages a type 2 diabetes risk check from age 25 for people of South Asian, Chinese, African-Caribbean and Black African family background, and the free NHS Health Check covers 40 to 74 in England.

Questions

Common questions

Why are BMI thresholds lower for South Asian people?

Studies show people of South Asian heritage tend to carry more fat around the organs at the same BMI, which raises the risk of type 2 diabetes. NICE lowered the thresholds so risk is spotted earlier.

What is a healthy BMI for Chinese adults in the UK?

NICE suggests 18.5 to 22.9. From 23 is classed as overweight and from 27.5 as obesity.

Does this apply if only one parent is from these backgrounds?

NICE does not draw a precise line. If part of your family comes from one of these backgrounds, using the lower thresholds is the cautious choice, and your GP can talk it through.

Sources

Last checked 21 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.

If your weight is on your mind

Talk to your GP if your weight has changed a lot without trying, or if it is worrying you. If food or your body feels hard to think about, Beat has a free helpline on 0808 801 0677 (England, weekdays 3pm to 8pm).

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