A Belgium statistician named Adolphe Quelet developed the BMI formula. It is considered a standard measure of an individual's body mass to determine an ideal weight. The formula is simple to calculate in either metric or English notations as shown below:
Using the metric system, the BMI (Body Mass Index) formula is equal to your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared.
Example: If your weight = 65 kg and your height = 160 cm (1.60 m)
The formula for BMI calculation: 65 ÷ (1.60)2 = 25.39
Formula: weight (kg) ÷ [height (m)]2
For English calculations, the formula for BMI is found by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and then multiplying by a factor of 703 (metric conversion).
Example: Weight = 135 lbs, Height = 5'4" (64")
Calculation: [135 ÷ (64)2] x 703 = 23.17
Formula: weight (lbs) ÷ [height (in)]2 x 703