What does my body mass index (BMI) mean?

The body mass index is a number that is calculated from an equation that uses height and weight. The number gives an indicator of how fat or thin a person is.  A body mass index of less than 18.5 is underweight, between 18.5 and 24.9 is a healthy BMI.  Twenty-five to 29.9 is an indicator of being overweight. Thirty and above is considered to be obese.  The higher BMI’s are associated with increasing risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, gall bladder disease and cancer. 

Your BMI is your height to your weight.  Body Mass Index is measured on a number scale and being between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered to be a normal weight range.  Anything below 18.4 is considered underweight and anything above 25 is considered obese.

BMI is a measure of body fat based on your height and weight. It is one way to assess your health as it is related to your body weight. Put simply, if you have a higher BMI, you are at greater risk for particular diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Remember that BMI is a screening tool and not a diagnostic tool. It is used to identify possible problems related to someone’s weight. It is important to seek the advice of your physician so further measures and diagnostic criteria can be used to assess your overall health.

Ideal Weight Calculator (Body Mass Index) is a reliable indicator of your body’s fitness level, and most importantly, your health risk. It works by calculating your weight and height correlates to your body fat level. 

To calculate your BMI go to: 

http://www.weight-loss-plans-4-you.com/ideal-weight-calculator.html

 

The body mass index (BMI) is an index of weight by height. You can calculate your BMI like this: divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches. Divide the answer by your height in inches. Multiply that answer by 703. Or use the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's easy online calculator.[http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/]

The definitions of normal, overweight, and obese were established after researchers examined the BMIs of millions of people and correlated them with rates of illness and death. These studies identified the normal BMI range as that associated with the lowest rates of illness and death.