BMI Calculator

What is BMI ?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of a person’s weight with respect to his or her height. It is more of an indicator than a direct measurement of a person’s total body fat. BMI, more often than not, correlates with total body fat. This means that as the BMI score increases, so does a person’s total body fat. BMI is an indicator of total body fat in many individuals. Thus it is considered as an indicator of health risk. BMI is used by healthcare professionals to screen for overweight and obese individuals. The BMI is used to assess a person’s health risks associated with obesity and overweight.

BMI, however, is one of the tools that are used to calculate healthy 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. are also taken into consideration while assessing health risk.

A high BMI can be a sign of too much fat on the body, while a low BMI can be a sign of too little fat on the body. The higher a person’s BMI, the greater their chances of developing certain serious conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. A very low BMI can also cause health problems, including bone loss, decreased immune function, and anemia.

According to the BMI weight status categories, anyone with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 would be classified as overweight and anyone with a BMI over 30 would be classified as obese.

However, athletes may have a high BMI because of increased muscularity rather than increased body fatness. In general, a person who has a high BMI is likely to have body fatness and would be considered to be overweight or obese, but this may not apply to athletes. A trained healthcare provider should perform appropriate health assessments to evaluate an individual’s health status and risks.