BMI Calculator for Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong does not use the mainland's cut-points
Under Department of Health, Centre for Health Protection — adopting the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office classification for Asian adults's scale, Hong Kong, China uses a normal range of BMI 18.5 – < 23.0, overweight from 23.0 and obesity from 25.0.
Asian BMI Calculator
Measure at the midpoint between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone, on a normal breath out. Needed to assess central obesity and waist-to-height ratio.
This calculator covers 11 published standards: WHO international, the WHO 2004 Asian action points, WHO Asia-Pacific, China's WS/T 428, Hong Kong Department of Health, Singapore HPB, Japan JASSO, Korea KSSO, the Misra Indian consensus and ADA 2026. BMI is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
Hong Kong, China BMI classification
| BMI range | Classification |
|---|---|
| < 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 – < 23 | Normal |
| 23 – < 25 | Overweight |
| 25 – < 30 | Obese I |
| ≥ 30 | Obese II |
Source: Centre for Health Protection — Report of Population Health Survey 2020-22 (Part II), section 2.1.2 · Department of Health Drug Office — Be Smart on Slimming Products (January 2026) · HKSAR Government — Weight Management Action Plan press release, March 2026(Population Health Survey 2020-22, Part II (and DH Drug Office public guidance, Jan 2026))
Why Hong Kong, China's cut-points look the way they do
This is the most common error in Asian BMI content, and it is worth stating flatly: Hong Kong, China is not on the mainland standard. The Hong Kong Department of Health classifies overweight from BMI 23.0 and obesity from 25.0, using the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office scale for Asian adults.
The government's own Population Health Survey 2020-22 reports results on exactly that basis, and the Department of Health's Drug Office restates the same two numbers in its public guidance on weight management.
The practical gap is large. A BMI of 27.5 is "overweight" in mainland China (24.0–27.9) but "obese I" in Hong Kong. Anyone moving between the two, or reading health content from both, will get contradictory answers to the same question.
Key points
- Overweight from 23.0, obesity from 25.0 — the WHO Asia-Pacific scale, not WS/T 428.
- Obese I (25.0–<30.0) and Obese II (≥30.0) follow the same two-tier structure used in Korea.
- The Hospital Authority uses the same two cut-points with different labels ("at risk" from 23.0, "moderately obese" from 25.0).
How Hong Kong, China compares
| Compared with | Overweight threshold | Obesity threshold |
|---|---|---|
| WHO international (global) 25 / 30 | 2.0 points lower | 5.0 points lower |
| WHO Asia-Pacific (WPRO / IASO / IOTF) 23 / 25 | same | same |
A BMI of 25.0 is classified as Obese I in Hong Kong, China (Obese I). The same value reads differently on the WHO international scale — which is why the scale has to be named.
All standards side by side
| Standard | Normal range | Overweight from | Obesity from | Waist / central obesity | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHO international (global)World Health Organization | 18.5 – 24.9 | 25.0 | 30.0 | — | Primary source |
| WHO Expert Consultation 2004 (Asian populations)World Health Organization expert consultation, published in The Lancet | 18.5 – 22.9 | 23.0 | 27.5 | — | Primary source |
| WHO Asia-Pacific (WPRO / IASO / IOTF)WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, International Association for the Study of Obesity, International Obesity Task Force | 18.5 – 22.9 | 23.0 | 25.0 | — | Primary source |
| ChinaNational Health Commission of the PRC — health industry standard WS/T 428 | 18.5 – 23.9 | 24.0 | 28.0 | M ≥90cm / W ≥85cm | Primary source |
| Hong Kong, ChinaDepartment of Health, Centre for Health Protection — adopting the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office classification for Asian adults | 18.5 – < 23.0 | 23.0 | 25.0 | WHtR < 0.5 | Primary source |
| SingaporeHealth Promotion Board (HPB), Ministry of Health | 18.5 – 22.9 | 23.0 | 27.5 | M ≥90cm / W ≥80cm | Primary source |
| JapanJapan Society for the Study of Obesity (JASSO) | 18.5 – 24.9 | — | 25.0 | M ≥85cm / W ≥90cm | Primary source |
| South KoreaKorean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO) | 18.5 – 22.9 | 23.0 | 25.0 | M ≥90cm / W ≥85cm | Primary source |
| India and South AsiaConsensus statement for Asian Indians (Misra et al., JAPI 2009); Indian Council of Medical Research | 18.0 – 22.9 | 23.0 | 25.0 | M ≥90cm / W ≥80cm | Primary source |
| UK NICE guidance — Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern and Black African/Caribbean adultsNational Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK), guideline NG246 | 18.5 – 22.9 | 23.0 | 27.5 | WHtR < 0.5 | Primary source |
| ADA 2026 standard for Asian populationsAmerican Diabetes Association — Standards of Care in Diabetes 2026, adult overweight and obesity | 18.5 – 22.9 | 23.0 | 27.5 | M ≥90cm / W ≥80cm | Primary source |
All 11 standards shown, each read from the issuing authority's own document (linked per row). The WHO 2004 figures of 23.0 / 27.5 are public-health action points, not a redefinition of the international categories.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hong Kong's BMI standard the same as mainland China's?
- No. Hong Kong uses the WHO Asia-Pacific scale — overweight from 23.0, obesity from 25.0. Mainland China uses WS/T 428 — overweight from 24.0, obesity from 28.0. At BMI 27.5 you are obese I in Hong Kong and merely overweight on the mainland.
- Does Hong Kong use 27.5 as an obesity threshold?
- No. 27.5 is the WHO 2004 high-risk action point and it is Singapore's obesity cut-off, but Hong Kong's Department of Health sets obesity at 25.0. If a page tells you Hong Kong uses 23 / 27.5, that page has mixed up two different jurisdictions.
- What waist measurement should I use in Hong Kong?
- Hong Kong's official materials lead with BMI rather than a published waist cut-point. The internationally used supplementary screen is waist-to-height ratio: keep your waist below half your height (below 0.5). That threshold is ethnicity-independent and appears in the ADA's 2026 adult obesity standards.
Data sources and how we verify them
Every cut-point, band and formula on this page is taken from the issuing authority's own document, listed below. We do not use second-hand summaries, and we do not fill gaps with numbers no source states.
- World Health Organization (WHO)
International cut-points (25 / 30) and the 2004 Asian action points
- National Health Commission of the PRC
China's current adult cut-points — WS/T 428 (24 / 28) and waist criteria
- Department of Health, Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong classification (23 / 25), from the Population Health Survey 2020-22
- Health Promotion Board, Singapore
Singapore's three-band risk ladder (18.5–22.9 / 23.0–27.4 / ≥27.5)
- Japan Society for the Study of Obesity (JASSO)
Japan's classification, which has no overweight tier (obesity from 25)
- Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO)
Korea's classification and abdominal-obesity waist thresholds
- Indian Council of Medical Research / Misra consensus
South Asian cut-points, including the 18.0 lower bound
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), UK
Lower ethnic-specific thresholds for Asian adults in the UK (23 / 27.5)
- American Diabetes Association (ADA)
2026 standards — Asian obesity at 27.5 and central obesity overriding BMI
Cut-points are population-level statistical thresholds, not individual diagnoses. If your value sits near a category line, measure your waist as well and read it alongside body-fat percentage. Last checked: 2026-09-15.
Sources
- Centre for Health Protection — Report of Population Health Survey 2020-22 (Part II), section 2.1.2
- Department of Health Drug Office — Be Smart on Slimming Products (January 2026)
- HKSAR Government — Weight Management Action Plan press release, March 2026
Every figure above was checked against the original document. This page is general information, not medical advice.
Other countries and regions
Health Information Disclaimer
Content on this site is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a doctor or qualified health professional for personal health concerns. Last updated: August 9, 2026.
We do not keep your information. Height, weight, waist and age are calculated entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded to our servers, logged or stored, and the numbers are gone as soon as you close or refresh the page. We measure anonymous traffic only, never the values you type. Full detail in our Privacy Policy.
Standard documented on this page: Department of Health, Centre for Health Protection — adopting the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office classification for Asian adults — Population Health Survey 2020-22, Part II (and DH Drug Office public guidance, Jan 2026). This site documents 11 published standards; figures are read from each authority's own document.