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How to calculate BMI in Excel and Google Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
=B2/(C2^2)Try it with your data
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Step by step
- 1Metric, height in metres: with weight (kg) in B2 and height (m) in C2, enter =B2/(C2^2).
- 2Metric, height in centimetres: divide height by 100 first — =B2/((C2/100)^2).
- 3Imperial (pounds and inches): =703*B2/(C2^2), where B2 is weight in lb and C2 is height in inches.
- 4Wrap the result in ROUND for a clean figure: =ROUND(B2/(C2^2),1).
- 5Add a category column (see tips) so each BMI is labelled automatically.
Tips
- Worked example: 72 kg at 1.75 m gives =72/(1.75^2) = 23.5, which is in the Normal range.
- Auto-label the result with IFS: =IFS(D2<18.5,"Underweight",D2<25,"Normal",D2<30,"Overweight",TRUE,"Obese") where D2 holds the BMI.
- If your source height is in cm, do the /100 inside the formula rather than adding a helper column, to keep the sheet tidy.
- BMI is a screening figure only — it does not distinguish muscle from fat; note that if the sheet is shown to end users.
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Frequently asked
What is the formula for BMI?
BMI = weight (kg) divided by height (m) squared. In a cell that is =B2/(C2^2) with weight in B2 and height in metres in C2.
How do I calculate BMI when height is in centimetres?
Convert to metres inside the formula: =B2/((C2/100)^2). Dividing the cm value by 100 gives metres before squaring.
How do I calculate BMI in pounds and inches?
Use the imperial form =703*B2/(C2^2), with weight in pounds (B2) and height in inches (C2). The 703 factor converts the units.
How do I show the BMI category, not just the number?
Add an IFS around the BMI cell: =IFS(D2<18.5,"Underweight",D2<25,"Normal",D2<30,"Overweight",TRUE,"Obese").