General
BMI and BSA calculator — with WHO Asian cut-offs
Calculate body mass index using the WHO Asian cut-offs applicable to Indian populations, alongside body surface area by both the Mosteller and Du Bois formulae. For use by licensed clinicians.
Body mass index
24.2kg/m²
At risk / overweight (Asian cut-off). Body surface area: 1.82 m² (Mosteller), 1.81 m² (Du Bois). WHO Asian cut-offs are shown because they are the ones applicable to Indian populations — they are lower than the international cut-offs at every band.
For use by licensed clinicians as a calculation aid only. It does not account for the individual patient context, and it does not replace clinical judgement or your local protocol. Verify any value before it informs a dose or a decision.
Equation used
BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)². BSA (Mosteller) = √(height cm × weight kg / 3600). BSA (Du Bois) = 0.007184 × height(cm)^0.725 × weight(kg)^0.425.
Source
WHO Expert Consultation, The Lancet, 2004; Mosteller RD, NEJM, 1987; Du Bois D & Du Bois EF, 1916
The WHO Asian cut-offs are lower than the international ones at every band, which is why an Indian patient can be metabolically at risk at a BMI that reads as normal internationally.
Common questions
Why does this use Asian BMI cut-offs?
Cardiometabolic risk rises at a lower BMI in South Asian populations than in European ones. The WHO Asian cut-offs place the overweight threshold at 23 rather than 25, which is the threshold relevant to Indian practice.
Should I use Mosteller or Du Bois for BSA?
Mosteller is simpler and is the one most chemotherapy protocols specify. Du Bois is older and underestimates BSA in obesity. Follow whichever your dosing protocol names, since the two are not interchangeable for cytotoxic dosing.