To fully assess your current state of health it is important to take many factors into consideration. This includes your weight, percent body fat, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure, level of physical activity, cholesterol and glucose levels. All of this information combined together can help to determine your risk for developing chronic conditions. Another measurement that is commonly used is your BMI, or body mass index. BMI is easy to calculate and can give you a general idea of how close you are to your ideal weight.
Step 1
Measure your height either at the doctor's office or by using a tape measure at home. When at home, stand up straight against wall or other flat surface without shoes on. Keep your chin level and do not tip your head back. Make a mark on the wall and then measure your height. Record the number.
Step 2
Weigh yourself without shoes. If you do this regularly, make sure you weigh yourself at the same time of day, in similar clothing. Your weight may fluctuate slightly during the day and clothing can add on pounds. Record your weight.
Step 3
Visit the link in Resources for an online calculator that will figure out your BMI for you, based on your height and weight and tell you your risk. There is one link for adults and one for children and teens. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems."
Step 4
Calculate your BMI manually. Divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches, squared. Multiply this answer by 703. The CDC website provides the following example. If your weight is 150 pounds and you are 5 feet, 5 inches, then your height is recorded as 65 inches. So the formula would be [150 ÷ (65)2] x 703 and your percent body fat would be 24.96. This formula works for adults and children.
Step 5
Compare your results with the following standard ranges. A body mass index of less than 18.5 classifies you as underweight. A normal or health BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. You are considered overweight if your reading falls between 25.0 and 29.9. If your answer is 30.0 or higher, you are considered obese and at high risk for disease.
Tips and Warnings
- BMI is only one indicator of your health. Make sure you take advantage of other screening tools to fully assess your risk for disease. If your BMI is healthy but your blood pressure or cholesterol readings are high, you are still at risk for heart disease. You can also have healthy BMI and be diabetic.
- If you fall into the obese category, talk with your health care providers right away about getting on an appropriate nutrition and exercise plan to help you reduce your risk of disease. With the right healthy lifestyle changes you can lower your risk.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Scales
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