The BMI, or body mass index, is a number that determines a healthy body weight based on a person's height. It organizes people into one of four categories: underweight, normal, overweight and obese. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the BMI isn't a diagnostic tool and doesn't measure body fat directly, but it does provide an accurate correlation to actual body fat percentage measurements. The BMI is used worldwide as a screening tool to help determine if an individual is at risk for health or weight problems, and the exact same chart and values are used for men and women.
Perfect BMI Range
A woman has a perfect BMI if she's ranked in the "normal" category for her height and weight. The World Health Organization classifies women as normal if they have a BMI from 18.5 to 24.99. This is the range where women's bodies are at their healthiest and function best.
Risks of a High BMI
A woman is classified as overweight if she has a BMI range of 25 to 29.99 and as obese if her BMI is 30 or higher, according to the WHO. Having a high BMI can put women at risk for a variety of serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems and even some types of cancer. The higher a woman ranks on the BMI, the more likely she is to develop health problems.
Risks of a Low BMI
According to the WHO, a woman is considered underweight if her BMI is less than 18.5. Being underweight has just as many serious risks as being overweight. Women with a low BMI are at risk for anemia, osteoporosis, heart irregularities and blood vessel diseases. Underweight women can also stop having their monthly periods and are more vulnerable to infection and disease.
Calculating the BMI
According to AHealthyMe.com, the BMI was developed in the 19th century by a Belgian statistician who used the formula: weight (in kilograms) divided by height (in meters) squared. It can also be determined with this formula: weight (in pounds) divided by height (in inches) squared, multiplied by 703. A variety of online calculators have also been developed to determine a person's BMI.
Limitations
Because the BMI isn't a direct measurement of a person's body fat percentage, it isn't always an accurate indicator of health or fitness. According to the CDC, athletes can sometimes have a high BMI, even ranking in the overweight or obese categories, because of increased muscle mass and weight. And because the BMI doesn't distinguish between men and women, actual body fat percentages have a tendency to be slightly higher or lower than the BMI level. The same is true for older and younger people. Older people will tend to have more body fat than a young person even if they have the same BMI levels.
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