What Is Body Mass Index(BMI)?
Body mass index (BMI) is used to examine whether the weight of a person’s body when compared with his height is appropriate for the person concerned. Although BMI does not exactly measure the fat in a personâs body, a connection to body fat measurement has been found, like weighing underwater, and so, is thought to be accurate enough to be used as another method of measuring body fat. You can make your body mass index calculations with an easy formula.
Calculating Body Mass Index (BMI)
For calculating your Body mass index (BMI), find out your weight given in pounds and your height expressed in inches. The figure for the height is squared. Then, have your weight divided by your height squared. Then, the result is multiplied by 703. So, the BMI formula is weight / [height (in inches)]2 x 703
Here is an example:
Jane’s height is 5’7″ and her weight is 150 pounds. She did the formula as given below:
- Jane converted her height to inches and got 68 inches.
- The 65 inches was squared, and 68 times 68 are equal to 4,624.
- Then, her weight in pounds is divided by her height squared which is 150 divided by 4,624.
- The resulting figure is then multiplied by 703 and the BMI result is rounded up to 22.80.
The BMI can be a useful tool to assist you in your weight loss. With the aid of the following chart, find out if your weight is considered normal, in the overweight range or obese. Since your target is in the normal range, look at the weights in that range and take the weight which you can achieve. Weight loss together with exercise can sometimes help to reduce your need for medication, if not do without medication totally, when your body is not as resistant to insulin.
Understanding the BMI Chart
- >18.5: Underweight
- 18.5 to 24.9: Normal
- 25.0 to 29.9: Overweight
- 30.0 to 39.9: Obese
- 40 and above: Morbid obesity
For the calculation of your body mass index, go to the chart given below. Search for your height in the column on the left, then search for the column indicating your weight by going toward the right along the same row. The topmost figure in this chart connects your weight to your body mass index. So, if your body mass index happens to be from 25 to 30, it indicates an overweight problem. If it is higher than 30, obesity is your problem. And if it is above 40, you are regarded as morbidly obese.
Besides BMI result, men with a waist size which exceeds 40 inches or women with a waist size of 35 or more face much greater risk for diseases linked with obesity, including diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.
To overcome the lack of space, there are numbers which have been rounded. Look for the number which is nearest to your height as well as your weight.
Note : that the BMI can overestimate the amount of body fat for muscular people while underestimating the amount of fat among older people. Therefore, the BMI is not a reliable measure for possibility of getting diseases such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome as well as heart disease. Besides, if other causative factors exist, even those with BMI results in the normal range can suffer from those health problems.
An important reminder is never to stop your medicine unless your medical practitioner has already been consulted.