Your body mass index, or BMI, is way to calculate if you are currently at a healthy weight. BMI is also an important measurement of your overall health. A high BMI can indicate an increased risk of developing serious, chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, breast and colon cancer, stroke or heart disease. For adults, BMI is calculated based on your height and weight. Children also have BMIs, but they are calculated based on comparative percentiles rather than a simple height and weight calculation.
Gender Differences
For adults, there are no gender differences in calculating BMI. If your BMI is between 18.5 and 26.9, then you are in the healthy range. A BMI over 30 qualifies as obese and places you at increased risk of developing an obesity-related disease. A BMI under 18.5 is considered underweight. In the United States, more than 97 million adults are either overweight or obese, according to the National Heart, lung and Blood Institute.
Children
For children, BMI is calculated based on age and sex. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control protocol, a child's BMI is then compared to the BMIs of other children of the same age and sex. Based on that comparison, if a child's weight might place him in the 95th percentile, meaning he weighs more than 95 percent of other children of the same height and sex, he is determined to be obese. The CDC recommends BMI as an obesity screening tool for all children over age 2.
Risk for Disease
Having a high BMI places you at greater risk of developing an obesity-related disease, especially diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. Your risk is even greater if you have additional risk factors such as high triglyceride laevels, a family history of diabetes or heart disease, you smoke or if you are not physically active.
Waist Circumference
In addition to BMI, waist circumference is a factor that helps to determine your overall health. According to the CDC, men with a waist circumference over 40 inches and women with a waist circumference over 35 inches are at greater risk of developing an obesity-related disease. To get a proper waist measurement, measure just above your hip, around your bare stomach.
Tips for a Healthy BMI
If you have a high BMI, making a few small changes can provide great benefit. Losing just 5 percent to 10 percent of your current weight lessens your chance of developing an obesity-related disease. Eating more fiber can help to reduce your blood cholesterol level and moderate exercise of 20 minutes or more three times each week can help to lower your blood pressure and decrease your risk of hypertension.
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