Laboratory No.

2
Height, Weight, Body Mass Index and Desirable Body Weight
Objectives:
1. To evaluate one’s health status with the use of height and weight
2. To compute for Body Mass Index (BMI), Desirable Body Weight (DBW)

Height is measured in older children and adult. It is an assessment of linear dimension of legs, pelvis,
spine and skull. It indicates past nutrition status (chronic nutrition).

Weight is an assessment of body mass, summation of fat, body water, lean cell mass. It indicates
current nutrition (Africa et al, 2014).

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of a person’s weight with respect to his or her height. It is
more of an indicator than a direct measurement of a person’s total body fat. BMI is defined as the body
mass divided by the square of the body height and is universally expressed in units of kg/m², resulting
from mass in kilograms and height in meters.

How to compute for BMI:

1. Measure weight in Kg
2. Measure height and convert to meters
(1 ft= 12 in, 1 in= 2.54 cm, 1m=100cm)
3. Square height in meters (m2)
4. Body weight in kg divided by height in m2
𝐾𝑔
BMI= 2
𝑚

Desirable Body Weight (DBW) is the optimal weight

associated with maximum life expectancy for a given height (Sinha et al, 2012) .

How to compute for DBW (Infant):

DBW= (Age in months/2) + 3

How to compute for DBW (Child):

DBW= (Age in years x 2) + 8

How to compute for DBW (Adult):

Hamwi’s Method of determining desirable body weight for adults.

DBW for males = 106 pounds for 5 feet plus 6 pounds per inch over 5 feet.
DBW for females = 100 pounds for 5 feet plus 5 pounds per inch over 5 feet.
* Add 10% for large frame. Subtract 10% for small frame.

Nutrition and Diet Therapy: A Laboratory Manual for Nursing Students 1

 ACTIVITY 1. Body Profile
Indicate the following according to the last time you took your measurements:

Weight: _55_ kg Height: _152.4_ cm (1 in=2.54 cm)

1. How often do you weigh yourself? __Once a month____

2. When was the last time you weighed yourself? __Last month___
3. How long have you maintained your present weight?
4. My body build: √ round slender muscular combination of ____ and ____
5. I think I am short √ average tall
underweight normal √ overweight
6. Are you satisfied with your present height and weight? Explain why.
I am not satisfied because I think I need to lose some weight and need to bring my body built
back when I was still an athlete.

ACTIVITY 2. Body Mass Index

A. Compute for your BMI using your own height and weight and interpret results.
Height = 5’0, weight = 55 kg
• 5’0
• 5 x 12 = 60
= 60 x 2.54 cm/100 m
= (1.524 m)2
= 2.323 m2
• BMI = kg/m2
= 55 kg/2.323 m2
= 23.7 (Overweight)

B. Compute for the BMI using the given below and interpret results.
Height Weight(kg) Age Category BMI Interpretation
5’2 85 Adult 34.3 Obese Type 1
6’0 70 Adult 21.1 Normal
4’11 45 Adult 20 Normal
5’8 67 Adult 22.5 Normal
5’5 56 Adult 20.5 Normal
• Ht – 5’2 • Ht – 6’0 • Ht – 4’11
• 5 x 12 = 60 • 6 x 12 = 72 • 4 x 12 = 48
= 60 + 2 = 72 + 0 = 48 + 11
= 62 x 2.54 cm/100 = 72 x 2.54 cm/100 = 59 x 2.54 cm/100
= 1.5748 m2 = 1.8288 m2 = 1.4986 m2
= 2.48 = 3.34 = 2.25
• BMI = kg/m2 • BMI = kg/m2 • BMI = kg/m2
= 85 kg/2.48 m2 = 70 kg/3.34 m2 = 45 kg/2.25 m2
= 34.3 (Obese Type 1) = 21.1 (Normal) = 20 (Normal)
Nutrition and Diet Therapy: A Laboratory Manual for Nursing Students 2
 • Ht – 5’8 • Ht – 5’5
• 5 x 12 = 60 • 5 x 12 = 60
= 60 + 8 = 60 + 5
= 68 x 2.54 cm/100 = 65 x 2.54 cm/100
= 1.7272 m2 = 1.651 m2
= 2.98 = 2.73
• BMI = kg/m2 • BMI = kg/m2
= 67 kg/ 2.98 m2 = 56 kg/ 2.73 m2
= 22.5 (Normal) = 20.5 (Normal)

ACTIVITY 3. Desirable Body Weight

A. Compute for your DBW.
Height = 5’0”
• 106 lbs. (female) for 5 ft.
• Note: 1 kg. = 2.2 lbs.
= 106 lbs./ 2.2 lbs.
= 48 kg.

B. Compute for the DBW given the following.

Height Weight(kg) Age Category DBW
5’2 85 Adult 52 kg – 63 kg
6’0 70 Adult 75 kg – 91 kg
- - Infant (9 months) 14 kg
- - Child (6 y.o) 20 kg
5’5 56 Adult 59 kg – 72 kg
• Ht = 5’2 = 157.48 cm • Ht = 6’0 = 182.88 cm
• DBW (kg.) = [Ht (cm) – 100] ± 10% • DBW (kg.) = [Ht (cm) – 100] ± 10%
157.48 cm – 100 = 57.48 kg. 182.88 cm – 100 = 82.88 kg.
57.48 kg. x 0.10 = 5.74 82.88 kg. x 0.10 = 8.29
57.48 kg. + 5.74 = 63.22 82.88 kg. + 8.29 = 91.17
57.48 kg. - 5.74 = 51.74 82.88 kg. - 8.29 = 74.59
• DBW = 52 kg. – 63 kg. • DBW = 75 kg. – 91 kg.

• DBW = (9 months) + 3 • DBW = (6 years old x 2) +8 • Ht = 5’5 = 165.1 cm

2 = 20 kg. • DBW (kg.) = [Ht (cm) – 100] ± 10%
= 13.5 kg. 165.1 cm – 100 = 65.1 kg.
= 14 kg. 65.1 kg. x 0.10 = 6.5
65.1 kg. + 6.5 = 71.6
65.1 kg. – 6.5 = 58.6
• DBW = 59 kg. – 72 kg.

Nutrition and Diet Therapy: A Laboratory Manual for Nursing Students 3