What is BMI (body mass index)?

BMI is a number calculated from your weight and height that roughly correlates to the percentage of your total weight that comes from fat, as opposed to muscle, bone or organ. The higher a person's BMI, the higher the percentage of fat in their body. If your BMI is under 20, you might be underweight. Between 20 and 25, you are probably at a good healthy weight for your height. A BMI over 25 is considered overweight, and over 35 is considered obese.

Body mass index (BMI) is a formula that measures a person’s body weight relative to their height. BMI is determined by weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2). It is a useful, indirect measure of body composition, and in most people it correlates highly with body fat. In studies by the National Center for Health Statistics, BMI values less than 18.5 are considered underweight. Those from 18.5 to 24.9 are healthy. Overweight is defined as a body mass index of 25.0 to 29.9. A BMI of about 25 kg/m2 corresponds to about 10 percent over ideal body weight. People with a BMI in this range have a moderate risk of heart and blood vessel disease. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or greater (based on criteria of the World Health Organization), or about 30 pounds overweight. People with a BMI of 30 or more are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Extreme obesity is defined as a BMI of 40 or greater.

Body mass index is a very safe and effective way that will give you a pretty good estimate of your total body fat. The formula simply takes your weight in kilograms and then divides it by your height in metered squares. if you average anything in the range of 25 - 30 that will put you in the category of over weight. Anything above 35 will put you in a zone of obese. Get to know your BMI today.

Body Mass Index is a mathematical formula that helps determine whether people are at a healthy weight. The calculation of BMI takes into consideration height and body weight to determine whether a person is at a healthy weight, or is underweight or overweight.

For example, a person who's 6'4" and weighs 200 pounds is probably at a healthy weight. But someone who's 5'9" and weighs 200 pounds is probably overweight.

Broadly speaking, the BMI helps officials get a general idea of how weight and obesity affect the population's health. With individuals, it enables a doctor to identify weight problems in a patient before serious health conditions arise.

Studies show that being overweight or obese can greatly increase a person's risk for developing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis or some types of cancer.

And being underweight can also lead to greater health risks from malnutrition.

Body mass index, often referred to as BMI, is a measurement designed to assess prevalence of obesity-related diseases. It is important to note that BMI does not assess body fat, it is merely a method to determine whether or not an individual’s weight is appropriate to their height. Therefore, BMI may have a certain degree of error associated with it. For example, if a 200 pound 5’6” bodybuilder with a body fat of 6% calculates their BMI to be a little more than 32 they would appear to be obese. But, clearly the body builder is not battling obesity, the calculation just fails to account for the large amount of muscle. BMI is one of the most widely used measures because there is a minimal amount of user calculation error. Most people can measure height and weight accurately. To determine BMI, take weight (in kilograms) and divide by height (in meters squared). The result of this equation is the individual's BMI. There are three classification ranges of BMI which will determine the risk factor associated with obesity. Mild risk for obesity-related diseases occurs for those with a BMI between 25 and 30. Moderate risk for obesity-related diseases occurs for those with a BMI between 30 and 35. Sever risk for obesity-related diseases occurs for those with a BMI greater than 35.

Body mass index (BMI) represents the relationship of height to weight, yielding a single number; the more you weigh in relation to your height, the higher your BMI. Using BMI as the measure, "obese" or "overweight" are defined as a body mass index of 27 or higher. A desirable BMI is anything less, and the lower the better, to a point.

The BMI is a reliable indicator of total body fat, which is related to the risk of disease and death. The score is valid for both men and women, but it does have some limits. It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build. For example, one-half of NBA basketball players have an elevated BMI. Furthermore, it may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass. Think of BMI as a range, rather than a fixed number like your shoe size. It is best used as a guideline to determine where you are now and provide a goal of what you should weigh to be in a healthy range, if you are not already there. If you are within the under-twenty-five range, try avoiding gaining weight and remain there, even if you have some extra room above your number.

Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of your weight in relation to your height. BMI is an assessment tool for determining whether your weight falls within one of four categories.

People with BMIs under 18.5 are considered underweight. Your weight is said to be within the healthy range if your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9. People with BMIs between 25 to 29.5 are considered overweight, while those whose BMI are above 30 are obese.

Remember, one size does not fit all. Other factors such as body build, age and ethnicity are not considered in this equation.

Body mass index (BMI) measures the relationship (or ratio) of your weight to your height. It is an estimation of body composition based on the notion that your body weight should be proportional to your height.

Take the RealAge Test!

Body mass index (BMI) is a calculation you can use to see if you're at a healthy weight. It is the answer to the question: What is my ideal weight? To find your BMI, multiply your weight in pounds by 703. Then square your height in inches. Divide the first number by the second number to calculate your BMI. For example, if you're 112 pounds and 5'4" (64 inches) multiply 112 by 703. Then multiply 64 times 64. Divide the first number (78,736) by the second number (4,096), and you get a BMI of 19.2. A BMI between 19 and 24 is normal weight. A BMI of 25 to 29 is overweight. A BMI over 30 is considered obese.

Experts say the old height/weight charts aren’t necessarily the best way to determine whether a person needs to lose or gain weight. Instead, they use as a guide Body Mass Index (BMI), a measure of how much fat you’re packing. If you are curious about your BMI and math is not your strong suit, you can find BMI calculators online.

Here’s what the numbers indicate:

Underweight: Below 18.5

Normal:  18.5–24.9

Overweight:  25.0–29.9

Obese:  30.0 and above

Morbidly Obese:  40.0 and above

Most doctors define overweight and obesity using the body mass index (BMI), which takes into consideration your weight in relation to your height. A normal BMI is less than 25. BMIs between 25 and 29.9 show that you're overweight. If your BMI is 30 or higher, you are obese, meaning you have a serious and unhealthy amount of excess weight. For example, if you are 5 feet 9 inches tall, your healthy weight would be approximately 125-168 pounds. Between 169 and 202 pounds, you'd be considered overweight, and if you weigh over 202 pounds you would be considered obese. BMI calculators on the Internet can calculate this for you.

Body mass index (BMI) is a tool for indicating weight status in adults. It is a measure of weight for height. For adults over 20 years old, BMI falls into one of these categories: Below 18.5 (underweight), 18.5-24.9 (normal), 25.0-29.9 (Overweight) and 30.0 and above (obese).

You should read product labels, and discuss all therapies with a qualified healthcare provider. Natural Standard information does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Body mass index (BMI) is a number based on a person's weight and height that provides a way to estimate the effect of weight on health. The higher the BMI, the greater the risk of some diseases, including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes.

To calculate exact BMI, one of the following equations is used:

• The person's weight in pounds and height in inches: BMI = (pounds x 703) divided by (inches squared)
• The person's weight in kilograms and height in meters: BMI = kilograms divided by (meters squared)

One of the most widely used methods of determining obesity is body mass index, better known as BMI. This standard method evaluates body weight in relation to height. BMI is one way to determine if someone is an ideal weight, overweight or obese. A healthy BMI range is between 19 and 25. A BMI between 25 and 29 is considered moderately overweight, and over 29 indicates obesity.

To find your BMI, multiply your weight in pounds by 705, then divide the result by your height in inches, then divide again by your height. The result is your BMI. Get out your calculator.

For example, a woman weighs 150 pounds and her height is 5 feet 6 inches (66 inches):

150 lb x 705 = 105,750
105,750/66 = 1602
1602/66 = 24 BMI

This woman's BMI is in the healthy range.

Don't take the BMI as the only indicator of healthy or unhealthy weight, since the index makes no allowance for different body builds. The BMI treats a large-framed person in the same way that it treats a small-framed person.