Fryar et al. (NHANES)
About this reference
Table 10 reports BMI percentiles for 5,929 US adults aged 20 and older in NHANES August 2021-August 2023: 2,680 males and 3,249 females. BMI was calculated from measured weight and standing height. The table excludes pregnant females, reports unweighted sample counts, and applies MEC examination weights and the complex survey design to the estimates. FitnessNorms reproduces the published P5, P25, P50, P75, and P95 values without interpolation or rebinning.
Known limitations
- US civilian noninstitutionalised population only; percentile position may differ in populations with different body-size distributions.
- The August 2021-August 2023 examination response rate was 25.6%. NCHS adjusted the survey weights for nonresponse, but subgroup estimates may have lower precision than in earlier cycles.
- Cross-sectional design means values reflect population averages, not individual changes over time
- BMI does not distinguish fat mass from lean mass; muscular individuals may be classified as overweight
- Pregnant females were excluded from the published BMI table.
- Standard BMI categories do not capture all population differences; the WHO Asian expert consultation identified additional action points for many Asian populations.