Quick start
- Open the Body Surface Area Calculator.
- Enter height in centimeters and weight in kilograms.
- Use the first example, "Average adult: 170 cm, 70 kg", if you want to see a filled-out calculation before entering your own values.
- Calculate, read the formula line, then copy the result only after the units and assumptions look right.
Best uses
Start here if one of these sounds like your job. The examples below show which inputs matter most.
- Estimate adult BSA from height and weight.
- Compare Mosteller and Du Bois formula results.
- Check why two BSA formulas can differ slightly.
- Keep dosing and treatment decisions with a qualified clinician.
What this calculator is for
The Body Surface Area Calculator estimates adult BSA in square meters from height and weight. It shows Mosteller as the main estimate and Du Bois as a comparison formula.
Use it when you want to: Estimate adult BSA from height and weight. Compare Mosteller and Du Bois formula results.
What to enter
Good answers start with clean inputs. Before calculating, check the labels, units, and dates so the tool is solving the same problem you actually have.
- Enter height in centimeters and weight in kilograms.
- Use measured values rather than rounded guesses when possible, because both formulas depend on the product of height and weight.
- Keep BSA separate from BMI, body fat, and body weight; they answer different questions.
Example walkthrough
Try the calculator example: Average adult: 170 cm, 70 kg. The example result is Mosteller 1.82 m2; Du Bois 1.81 m2.
- For 170 cm and 70 kg, Mosteller multiplies 170 by 70, divides by 3600, then takes the square root.
- The result is about 1.82 m2 by Mosteller and about 1.81 m2 by Du Bois.
- For 180 cm and 85 kg, the calculator shows about 2.06 m2 by Mosteller and 2.05 m2 by Du Bois.
- For 160 cm and 55 kg, both formulas round to about 1.56 m2.
Formula and steps
In plain language: Mosteller BSA = square root of (height in cm times weight in kg divided by 3600). Du Bois BSA = 0.007184 x height^0.725 x weight^0.425. Both results are shown in square meters. Read the result together with the notes on the page, because health and fitness numbers often need personal context.
Read the formula note when you need to understand where the number came from, especially before comparing results over time.
How to read the answer
Read the main estimate first, then read the note beside it. For health, pregnancy, nutrition, kidney, alcohol, or training decisions with real consequences, use qualified professional guidance.
- BSA is clinical math context, not a health grade, diagnosis, medication order, or treatment plan.
- Different formulas can produce slightly different estimates, so read the Mosteller and Du Bois lines as close comparisons rather than exact body facts.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most bad results come from a small input mistake or from using a rough estimate for a decision it cannot safely answer.
- Do not use this page for medication dosing, chemotherapy, burn, surgery, kidney, or treatment decisions.
- Do not confuse square meters of BSA with body fat percentage, BMI, or body weight.
- Do not use this as a child, neonatal, pet, burn, psoriasis, procedure-specific, or Schnur-scale calculator.
What to try next
A related health tool can help check the same topic from another angle, but one number should not replace proper care.
- Use GFR Calculator only for separate kidney-equation education.
- Use BMI Calculator or Healthy Weight Calculator if you need adult weight-screening context instead of BSA.
- Ask a clinician before using BSA for any care decision.
Sources and safety notes
This guide uses public-health, clinical, or peer-reviewed references where the calculator needs a specific formula or interpretation boundary.
Source links are provided for transparency, but they do not turn the calculator into medical advice or a replacement for professional care.
Worked examples for Body Surface Area Calculator
Mosteller 1.82 m2; Du Bois 1.81 m2
Mosteller 2.06 m2; Du Bois 2.05 m2
Mosteller 1.56 m2; Du Bois 1.56 m2
Mosteller 1.37 m2; Du Bois 1.37 m2
FAQ in plain language
When should I use the Body Surface Area Calculator?
Use it for simple educational checks, trend tracking, or planning tasks like these: Estimate adult BSA from height and weight. Compare Mosteller and Du Bois formula results. It can help you understand a number, but it cannot explain your whole health situation.
What do the main Body Surface Area Calculator inputs mean?
Enter height in centimeters and weight in kilograms. The calculator uses those two measured values for adult human body surface area formulas. It does not ask for age, sex, body fat, diagnosis, procedure type, burn percentage, or medication details.
What is the Body Surface Area Calculator doing with my inputs?
In plain language: Mosteller BSA = square root of (height in cm times weight in kg divided by 3600). Du Bois BSA = 0.007184 x height^0.725 x weight^0.425. Both results are shown in square meters. Read the result together with the notes on the page, because health and fitness numbers often need personal context.
How should I read the Body Surface Area Calculator result?
Read BSA as an estimated body surface area in square meters. The Mosteller and Du Bois lines can differ slightly because they are different formulas. Use the number as clinical math context only, not as a medication dose, diagnosis, burn estimate, or treatment plan.
What is the difference between Mosteller and Du Bois BSA?
Mosteller is a simple square-root formula using height and weight. Du Bois uses height and weight with exponents. They usually stay close for ordinary adult inputs, but they are not identical, so this calculator shows both instead of pretending one estimate is perfect.
Can this calculator handle children, burns, pets, or procedure-specific formulas?
No. This page is a simple adult human height-and-weight BSA reference. It is not a pediatric, neonatal, burn, veterinary, psoriasis, chemotherapy, surgery, or Schnur-scale calculator.
Why is BSA shown in square meters?
Body surface area formulas usually report square meters, written here as m2. That unit is different from BMI, body fat percentage, or body weight, so do not compare the number as if it were one of those results.
Related tools
- GFR Calculator Estimate adult eGFR from serum creatinine with the 2021 CKD-EPI race-free equation.
- BMI Calculator Estimate adult body mass index and healthy BMI weight range.
- Healthy Weight Calculator Find the adult BMI 18.5 to 24.9 weight range for a height.
Keep exploring
If this guide is close but not exact, these links keep you near the same kind of problem.
- Health & Fitness Browse the full category for related tools that help with the same job.
- All free tools Search the complete Access Free Tools library by task, category, or tool name.
- All calculator and utility guides Find more plain-language examples, formulas, mistakes, and result explanations.
- Free calculator resources Start here when you are not sure which calculator page fits.
Privacy and copying results
Recent answers stay visible only while you work in the current browser tab. They are not sent to a server.
Use Copy answer when you want to save the inputs and result in notes, homework, a message, or a project list. Check the units, labels, and limits before copying.