

It doesnt measure body fat directly, but instead uses an equation to make an.

Similarly, an elderly and frail individual person may be in the normal weight category when they have little muscle mass and a high percentage of body fat.īMI, when used for children and adolescents who are still growing, those with large body frames or petite builds, pregnant women and highly muscled individuals thus need to be assessed and interpreted carefully. The body mass index (BMI) is calculated with the following formula: BMI weight(kg) / height(m)2. Body mass index (BMI) is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight. These persons with a very low body fat percentage could have the same BMI score as someone who is overweight. For example, persons who are very muscular may fall into the “overweight” category when they are actually healthy and very fit. In some persons BMI is a more accurate measure of body fat than others. But BMI fails to provide actual information on body composition like amount of muscle, bone, fat, and other tissues. Is BMI applicable for all?įor most people, BMI can be used to provide a good measure of obesity. are also taken into consideration while assessing health risk. Other factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol level, blood sugar level, family history of heart disease, age, gender, waist circumference, level of physical activity, menopause status, smoking status etc. high blood cholesterol or other lipid disordersīMI, however, is one of the tools that are used to calculate healthy risk.The BMI is used to assess a person’s health risks associated with obesity and overweight.įor example those with a high BMI are at risk of:. Thus it is considered as an indicator of health risk.īMI is used by healthcare professionals to screen for overweight and obese individuals. Body Mass Index (BMI)Ĭompilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year.īMI is an indicator of total body fat in many individuals. A BMI chart is used to categorize a person as underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. This indicates that a person is within the normal weight range for his or her height. The formula is - BMI = (Weight in kilograms) divided by (Height in metres squared)Ī normal BMI score is one that falls between 18.5 and 24.9. Now, divide your weight in kilograms to the square of your height in. There are convenient calculators available on internet sites that help calculate BMI as well. There is a simple formula to calculate BMI and for this, a person will need to put their correct height and weight. You must measure your weight in kilograms and then square your height in metric form. It can also be estimated using tables in which one can match height in inches to weight in pounds to estimate BMI. BMI calculationīMI in an individual is calculated by the use of a mathematical formula. The WHO defines an adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 as overweight - an adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese - a BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight, and between 18.5 to 24.9 a healthy weight. This means that as the BMI score increases, so does a person’s total body fat. It is more of an indicator than a direct measurement of a person’s total body fat.īMI, more often than not, correlates with total body fat. Ananya Mandal, MD Reviewed by April Cashin-Garbutt, MA (Editor)īody Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of a person’s weight with respect to his or her height. BMI values calculated with this formula are not appropriate for children, and also may not be accurate for certain adults, including bodybuilders, pregnant women or people shorter than 150 cm or taller than 190 cm (after rounding, 4'11" and 6'3", respectively).By Dr. Higher BMI values may indicate higher levels of body fat, which can be associated with various metabolic conditions and diseases very low BMI values can indicate underweight, which may be associated with bone loss, malnutrition and other conditions. Partial Fraction Decomposition Calculatorīody mass index basics A body mass index is typically computed from a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters.Given a BMI and height, you can also compute a target weight to meet a body mass goal. Your input can include complete details about your gender, height and weight, or you can add, remove and modify values and parameters using a simple form interface. Calculations can take your gender into account and produce charts showing where your BMI falls in relation to the normal range for adults.Įnter your queries using plain English. Wolfram|Alpha can quickly and easily compute your body mass index, a measurement of body fat based on height and weight. Also include: gender Compute Simple, informative BMI computation
