Body mass index is a quick health screen, but for athletes it comes with a catch — and India uses different cut-offs from the global standard. The PlayerWalk BMI tool shows both and explains why a muscular athlete can read ‘overweight’ while being superbly fit.
How is BMI calculated?
BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height (m)². Example: a 65 kg athlete who is 1.72 m tall has a BMI of 65 ÷ (1.72 × 1.72) = 22.0.
WHO vs Indian cut-offs
| Category | WHO Standard | Indian Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| Underweight | Below 18.5 | Below 18.0 |
| Normal | 18.5 – 24.9 | 18.0 – 22.9 |
| Overweight | 25.0 – 29.9 | 23.0 – 24.9 |
| Obese | 30 and above | 25 and above |
Why India uses lower thresholds
Research shows that people of South Asian origin tend to carry more body fat and face higher metabolic risk at a given BMI than the global average. India's 2009 consensus guidelines therefore set lower cut-offs, so the same BMI can be classed differently under the two systems. Both are shown so you can see where you fall on each.
The athlete caveat
BMI can't tell muscle from fat. Muscular athletes — fast bowlers, wrestlers, throwers — often read ‘overweight’ despite being in excellent condition, because dense muscle weighs more than fat. Treat BMI as a rough population screen, never as a verdict on an athlete's fitness.
