Body Mass Index (BMI): Females, Age 20-29
Body mass index (BMI) is calculated as weight in kg divided by height in metres squared (kg/m²). These percentiles reflect the US population, which has one of the highest obesity rates among major countries (over 40% of US adults are obese). The median BMI in most age groups already falls in the WHO 'Overweight' or 'Obese' range. Being at the 50th percentile here is not a health target, it means half the US population has a higher BMI. For health guidance, refer to the WHO categories: Underweight (<18.5), Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9), Overweight (25 to 29.9), Obese (≥30). These thresholds are lower for East Asian populations (overweight ≥23, obese ≥27.5).
Percentile Distribution (kg/m²)
| Percentile | Value (kg/m²) | WHO Category |
|---|---|---|
| 5th | 18.6 | Normal weight |
| 25th | 22.2 | Normal weight |
| 50th | 25.5 | Overweight |
| 75th | 31.6 | Obese |
| 95th | 45.6 | Obese |
What these numbers mean for females aged 20-29
A score around 25.5 kg/m² is typical (50th percentile) for females in this age group. Scores above about 31.6 kg/m² fall near the 75th percentile or higher, indicating above-average performance. Scores below about 22.2 kg/m² fall near the 25th percentile, about 75% of the reference population scored higher.
These percentiles are from the US, which has one of the highest obesity rates globally. A BMI of 25.5 kg/m² would typically fall around the 75th to 85th percentile in countries where mean adult BMI is 23 to 24 (e.g. Japan or South Korea).
Percentiles show how common a value is, not whether it is healthy.