Body mass index, or BMI, is a way to assist you figure out if you are at a healthy weight for your height. BMI is a number based on your weight and height. In general, the greater the number, the more body fat a person has. If your weight might be putting you at threat for health issues such as heart illness, diabetes, and cancer, BMI is often utilized as a screening tool to choose.
BMI is used to broadly specify different weight groups in grownups 20 years old or older. The exact same groups apply to both females and men.
- Underweight: BMI is less than 18.5
- Normal weight: BMI is 18.5 to 24.9
- Overweight: BMI is 25 to 29.9
- Obese: BMI is 30 or more
What is my BMI?
There are a number of ways to find your BMI.
Charts and online calculators
Tables and charts, such as the one below, are one simple way to determine your BMI. There are likewise numerous online BMI calculators, such as this one on our website.
To use the table listed below, discover your height on the left side of the chart, then cross to the weight that is closest to yours. At the top of the chart you can see your BMI, and at the bottom of the chart you can see which category you fit into-- healthy weight, overweight, or overweight:.
Some examples
This table shows us that a woman who is 5 ft. 4 in. If she weighs in between 145 and 169 pounds, tall is thought about overweight (BMI is 25 to 29). If she weighs 174 pounds or more, she is thought about obese (BMI is 30 or more).
A guy who is 5 ft. 10 in. high is considered overweight (BMI is 25 to 29) if he weighs in between 174 and 202 pounds, and is overweight (BMI is 30 or more) if he weighs 209 pounds or more.
Computing my BMI
You can likewise calculate your own BMI. The real formula to determine BMI uses metric system measurements: weight in kgs (kg) divided by height in meters, squared (m2).
When using pounds and inches, the formula requires to be altered slightly. Increase your weight in pounds by 703. Divide that by your height in inches, squared:.
BMI = (your weight in pounds x 703) ÷ (your height in inches x your height in inches).
For instance, if you weigh 120 pounds and are 5 ft. 3 in. (63 in.) tall:.
BMI = (120 x 703) ÷ (63 x 63) or 84,360 ÷ 3969 = 21.3.
This is well within the healthy weight range.
Are there any issues utilizing the BMI?
Doctors and nurses often utilize BMI to assist find out if an individual may have a weight issue. BMI gives a great quote of total body fat for most people, however it does not work well for everybody. For instance, bodybuilders or other extremely muscular people can have a high BMI because of their muscle mass, even though they're not always overweight. The BMI can also underestimate body fat in people who have lost muscle mass, such as some older people.
For many adults, the BMI is an excellent way to get an idea of healthy weight ranges. But it's not always the final word in choosing if a person is overweight or overweight. When evaluating how much somebody needs to weigh, there are other things to think about. A person with a high BMI ought to be evaluated by a healthcare provider, who may utilize other elements such as skinfold density (a procedure of body fat), waist size, examinations of diet and family health issue, and other aspects to learn if a person's weight may position a health risk.
BMI in teenagers and kids
BMI can be computed the same way for kids and teens as it is for grownups, but the numbers do not have the exact same meaning. This is since the regular amount of body fat changes with age in children and teens, and is various in between young boys and women. So for kids, BMI levels that define being typical weight or overweight are based upon the kid's age and gender.
To account for this, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established age- and gender-specific development charts. These charts are utilized to translate a BMI number into a percentile based on a child's sex and age. The percentiles are then used to determine the various weight groups:.
- Underweight: less than the 5th percentile
- Regular weight: 5th percentile to less than the 85th percentile
- Overweight: 85th percentile to less than the 95th percentile
- Obese: 95th percentile or greater
Even in a young person, being obese or overweight can trigger illness. And it might directly increase the danger for certain health issue later on in life, including some kinds of cancer. It likewise increases the possibilities of being overweight or obese as an adult, in addition to the threat of illness that can feature this.