South Asian health 6 min read
South Asian BMI Cut Offs: Why Your Number Reads Differently
By the Amelior Labs team · October 5, 2026
Is Asian BMI different? Many people with South Asian roots are told their BMI is fine and later learn the cut offs were set for a different population. The thresholds used in UK health services are lower for South Asian adults, and Thali builds them in. This post explains what the numbers are, where they come from, how to work yours out, and the limits of the measure, with sources you can read yourself. It covers adults only.
How BMI is calculated and the usual bands
BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared. For most adults, the NHS describes a BMI of 25 to 29.9 as overweight and 30 or more as obese. The NHS says plainly that people from some backgrounds are at risk of health problems at a slightly lower BMI. If you want a quick check, divide your weight by your height twice, or use any online BMI calculator and then read the right row for your background. Round the result to one decimal place and compare it with the bands in the next section. A shorter person and a taller person can then be compared on the same scale.
The South Asian cut offs
For adults from a South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean background, the NHS gives lower thresholds. A BMI of 23 to 27.4 is overweight and 27.5 or higher is obese. NICE guidance for overweight and obesity management also uses lower thresholds for these groups. In effect, the band that counts as healthy is narrower, and risk is flagged earlier. Treat that earlier flag as a prompt to look at diet, activity and other measures with a professional, since it says little about your health on its own. These bands are for adults. Children are assessed on different, age-based charts, so ask your doctor about a child's measurements.
Why the thresholds are lower
A WHO expert consultation published in The Lancet in 2004 reviewed evidence that Asian populations have different associations between BMI, percentage of body fat and health risk than European populations. It identified public health action points at 23.0 and 27.5 kg/m2. NICE explains the practical reason: people with a South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean background are prone to central adiposity, and their cardiometabolic risk occurs at a lower BMI. That is why the lower thresholds are used as a practical measure. Both are population-level guidance, which means they describe groups and cannot tell any one person their own risk.
Picture this: the same BMI, two readings
Picture this: an adult who is 1.65 m tall and weighs 63 kg. Their BMI is 63 divided by 2.7225, which is about 23.1. On the usual bands, that sits inside the healthy range of 18.5 to 24.9. On the South Asian bands used by the NHS, it falls in the 23 to 27.4 range, which is flagged as overweight. This is an illustration with made-up numbers. It shows why checking the right row matters, and it does not tell you whether anyone should change anything. Different combinations of height and weight can give the same BMI, so the number alone does not show where you carry weight.
What BMI cannot tell you
The NHS notes that a BMI calculator cannot tell the difference between muscle and fat. A muscular person can have a high BMI without carrying excess fat, and a person with a normal BMI can still carry fat around the middle. For that reason, BMI works best as a starting point, alongside waist measurement, blood tests and a conversation with your doctor. If your reading surprises you, do not panic or start a drastic diet. Ask a clinician what it means for you. Your doctor can also look at blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, which can say more about risk than BMI does. If you are concerned about your weight or about how you eat, a doctor or registered dietitian can look at your whole picture.
South Asian BMI thresholds in Thali
Thali shows BMI with South Asian specific thresholds so the feedback matches the bands your health service uses. It is built for adults aged 18 and over. When a dish is matched, calories in Thali come from its verified database of South Asian dishes rather than from AI, and portions are in katori, piece and cup sizes. Thali is available on Android now and iOS is awaiting approval. The app does not diagnose anything, and it does not replace a clinician. Use it alongside your height and weight to see where you sit in the South Asian ranges, then use food logging to understand your usual intake. If the number worries you, discuss any change with a professional before cutting meals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Asian BMI different?
Yes. The NHS and NICE use lower BMI thresholds for adults from South Asian, Chinese and several other backgrounds: 23 to 27.4 is overweight and 27.5 or higher is obese, compared with 25 and 30 in the standard bands. Thali includes these South Asian thresholds for adults.
Why is South Asian BMI different?
NICE states that people of South Asian background are prone to central adiposity and that their cardiometabolic risk occurs at a lower BMI. A WHO expert consultation also found that BMI, body fat and risk relate differently in Asian populations.
What BMI is overweight for Indian adults?
Under NHS guidance for people of South Asian background, a BMI of 23 to 27.4 is overweight and 27.5 or higher is obese. A BMI under 23 is below the overweight band. Ask your doctor how to interpret your own reading.
Why is Asian BMI lower?
The cut off is lower because health risk starts earlier on the BMI scale. The WHO consultation identified 23.0 and 27.5 as action points for Asian populations. NICE adds that cardiometabolic risk occurs at a lower BMI in South Asian groups, so the lower bands act as a practical measure.
Can BMI be wrong for me?
Yes. The NHS says BMI cannot tell muscle from fat, so it can mislead for people with a lot of muscle or fat in the middle. Treat it as a screening number and talk to a doctor about waist measurement and other checks.
