What Does a BMI of 15.8 Mean?
A BMI of 15.8 is considered underweight by NIH1 and WHO1 standards. Body mass index (BMI) measures a person's weight in relation to height and is then compared with a weight classification table2 6 to ascertain your weight class.
A BMI of 15.8 is less than the U.S. national average3 of 28.7 for women by 12.9 points. Your weight is 81.65% lower than the average U.S. female.
You
Average
An underweight person may be at an increased risk of developing complications, including bone, teeth, and fertility problems.8
Always check with a medical professional if you cannot gain weight intentionally to make sure you don't have any underlying medical or mental conditions.
BMI underweight classification can be less accurate for elite or endurance athletes.
In addition, various ethnicities with naturally smaller bone density or smaller body proportions could have different thresholds for co-morbidity.
Does this look similar to your body silhouette? If your body looks entirely different, your BMI could be incorrect. Check your waist to hip ratio.
Heights and Weights at BMI 15.8
| BMI (underweight) | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BMI: 15.8 | 4ft 7 (55") | 68 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 4ft 8 (56") | 70.5 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 4ft 9 (57") | 73 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 4ft 10 (58") | 75.6 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 4ft 11 (59") | 78.2 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 0 (60") | 80.9 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 1 (61") | 83.6 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 2 (62") | 86.4 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 3 (63") | 89.2 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 4 (64") | 92.1 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 5 (65") | 95 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 6 (66") | 97.9 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 7 (67") | 100.9 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 8 (68") | 103.9 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 9 (69") | 107 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 10 (70") | 110.1 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 5ft 11 (71") | 113.3 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 6ft 0 (72") | 116.5 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 6ft 1 (73") | 119.8 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 6ft 2 (74") | 123.1 lbs |
| BMI: 15.8 | 6ft 3 (75") | 126.4 lbs |
References
- Weir CB, Jan A. BMI Classification Percentile And Cut Off Points. [Updated 2021 May 9]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541070/
- Garrow, J.S. & Webster, J., 1985. Quetelets index (W/H2) as a measure of fatness. Int. J. Obes., 9(2), pp.147-153.
- CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey : https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_11/sr11_252.pdf
- https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/index.html
- https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/your/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmi_tbl.htm
- https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/index.html#Interpreted
- https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html
- Willett, K. et al., 2006. Comparison of bioelectrical impedance and BMI in predicting obesity-related medical conditions. Obes. (Silver Spring), 14(3), pp.480-490.