According to the Centers for Disease Control, body mass index, known as BMI, is a screening tool used to indicate your fatness. Its value is determined by your height and weight. BMI is important because it's a good predictor of your risk for developing obesity-related diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. The higher your BMI, the greater your risk. When calculating BMI, the same methods are used for adults and children regardless of weight, height, or body frame. However, if you are very muscular, your BMI may actually be an overestimation of your body fat. On the other hand, if you have very little muscle mass or you are an older person, your BMI may underestimate your body fat.
BMI Calculator
Step 1
Use a BMI calculator. There are a number of BMI calculators on the Internet. The Centers for Disease Control and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute both have BMI calculators.
Step 2
Plug your height and weight into the BMI calculator. Pay attention to the units for height and weight. Some calculators require height measurements in feet and inches and others may require that you use metric units. The calculator may require weight in pounds or kilograms. The BMI calculator will display the results within seconds.
Step 3
Place your calculated BMI in the appropriate BMI category. There are four BMI categories, namely, underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese. If your BMI is 25 to 29.9 you are considered overweight and if it's thirty or higher, you are obese.
Body Mass Index Table
Step 1
Find a body mass index table. They are easy to use and may be found on various websites. Print the table or look at it online.
Step 2
Find your height on the table. Heights are found in the left column and are listed vertically. They are measured in inches and range from 58 inches, which is 4 feet 8 inches, to 76 inches, which is 6 feet 3 inches.
Step 3
Find your weight on the table. From your height, move in a horizontal direction across the table until you find your weight. The weights are listed horizontally for each height. They are measured in pounds and range from 91 pounds to 443 pounds.
Step 4
Determine your BMI. From your weight, move upward vertically to the first row of the table. The value on that row is your BMI.
Things You'll Need
- Your weight in pounds or kg
- Your height in inches or cm
- BMI calculator
- BMI Index table
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