MasterTool

Ponderal Index Calculator

Calculate your ponderal index (corpulence index) — weight divided by height cubed.

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What this tool does

Calculate your ponderal index (corpulence index) — weight divided by height cubed. The adult ponderal index typically falls around 11–15; it is also used in paediatrics with different reference ranges. A descriptive index, not a diagnosis.

How to use the Ponderal Index Calculator

  1. Enter or select body weight in lb.
  2. Enter or select height in in.
  3. Read the calculated result; change any measurement to compare alternatives.

Formula

ponderal index = weight kg / height(m)³ (Rohrer's index)
weight
Body weight (lb, before metric conversion)
height
Height (in, before metric conversion)

The adult ponderal index typically falls around 11–15; it is also used in paediatrics with different reference ranges. A descriptive index, not a diagnosis.

Worked example

For ponderal index calculator, the following measurements illustrate the exact method: Body weight: 154; Height: 69.

Inputs

  • Body weight154 lb
  • Height69 in

Result

  • Ponderal index (kg/m³)12.98

Results explained

Ponderal index (kg/m³)
Ponderal index (kg/m³) from the formula above. The adult ponderal index typically falls around 11–15; it is also used in paediatrics with different reference ranges. A descriptive index, not a diagnosis.

Frequently asked questions

Also called Rohrer's index or the corpulence index, it is weight divided by height cubed (kg/m³) — similar to BMI but with a cubic height term, which suits very tall or short builds and paediatric use.

Most adults fall roughly between 11 and 15 kg/m³, centred near 13 — broadly mirroring the healthy BMI band, since PI ≈ BMI ÷ height in metres.

BMI divides by height squared; PI divides by height cubed. The cube better matches how mass scales with volume, so PI penalises extreme heights less than BMI.

Yes — in neonatology a weight/length³ ponderal index helps describe newborn proportionality, using gram/cm³ units and newborn-specific reference ranges, not the adult values here.

Either is a rough screening index. PI is less familiar to clinicians; BMI remains the standard language, with waist measures adding distribution context.