Obesity is a serious problem in the United States, and many health groups are looking for ways to slow its spread. One of the tools many of these groups employ is a measurement called body mass index, which may help people recognize potential health problems.
The Basics
Body mass index, or BMI, is determined by a mathematical equation that calculates your body's height-weight ratio. BMI is measured as a whole number: If your BMI is lower than 25, your weight is healthy. If your BMI is higher than 25, you're overweight. If it's higher than 30, you're considered obese. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, BMI is a good measure for obesity because most people's BMI number is a fairly accurate reflection of their body fat.
Identification
To measure your BMI and determine your obesity risk, you'll need to know your height and weight. Divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared, then multiply that number by 703. For instance, if you weigh 120 pounds at 5-foot-3, you would divide 120 by 63 (inches) squared, or 3969, and get 0.0302343. Multiply that by 703, and you get 21.25, which is considered a healthy weight.
Significance
BMI is an easy, noninvasive way to estimate a person's body fat. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrition Insights, a high BMI usually translates to higher body fat and increased risk of obesity. Because obesity puts you at risk for serious health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and arthritis, knowing that you may be at risk gives you the opportunity to make healthy lifestyle changes that can decrease your risk.
Misconceptions
BMI doesn't actually measure body fat--it estimates it, based on your weight and height ratio, and it doesn't always get it right, according to research published in the International Journal of Obesity in 2008. In the study, researchers at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine's division of Cardiovascular Diseases found that BMI was effective for measuring excess fat in roughly 50 percent of people and seemed to be least accurate when used to estimate body fat for people whose BMI fell into the intermediate range, for men and for older people.
Considerations
If your BMI suggests you may be obese, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend seeking advice from your health care provider, who can measure your waist circumference--another potential sign of obesity risk--and evaluate your fitness level, cardiac health and other factors that can cause or be affected by obesity. If he feels your BMI accurately reflects your risk, he can help you put together a weight loss plan to improve your BMI and overall health.
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