Health & Wellness
4 min read
April 25, 2026
What Is a Healthy BMI for Adults? WHO Standards Explained
The World Health Organisation defines specific BMI thresholds for underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. Here's what the numbers mean.
By EpicToolify Editorial
The WHO classifies adult BMI into six categories: Underweight (<18.5), Normal weight (18.5–24.9), Pre-obesity (25.0–29.9), Obese class I (30.0–34.9), Obese class II (35.0–39.9), and Obese class III (≥40.0).
However, these thresholds are not universal. Research suggests that people of South and East Asian descent face higher metabolic risk at lower BMI values. Several Asian health bodies recommend reclassifying overweight as ≥23 for these populations.