The body mass index, the most common obesity measure, estimates body fatness based upon your height and weight. Your BMI predicts, in most cases, whether your weight is normal. While the index can determine if you're overweight, your score is not your percentage body fat. The BMI merely compares your height and weight to the general population to see if it's within an acceptable range. While you can calculate your BMI on your own, many electronic scales do it for you.
Health authorities often use the BMI to predict if your weight is healthy. Relative to other methods, it's inexpensive, practical and reasonably accurate. Your BMI is your weight in pounds divided by your height in inches, squared, multiplied by 703. Health authorities consider you underweight if your BMI is below 18.5; normal if it's between 18.5 and 24.9; overweight if it's between 25 and 29.9; and obese if it's 30 or higher.
BMI Scales
Many electronic scales calculate your BMI for you. On most models, you create a profile which includes your height. The scale stores your profile information. After you step on the scale, it displays your BMI. Many models save your BMI, so you can track it over time. More advanced models also measure your body fat percent, which is not the same as your BMI.
Benefits
If you need to monitor your weight closely, an automated BMI scale might be a good purchase. For example, you may want to meet weight-loss goals and need a regular and effortless way to calculate and track your BMI. Scales often have multiple memory banks, so you can personalize the scale for different members of your household. Electronic BMI scales can help the whole household stay on track with their health goals.
Limitations
You'll first need to make sure your BMI scale is well calibrated so it displays your weight correctly. For further accuracy, you'll probably want to compare the scale's electronic BMI calculation to a manual calculation at least once. While a scale can calculate your BMI, your physician can best interpret what it means. Not everyone with a high BMI is unhealthy. BMI sometimes overestimates body fat in athletes but underestimates it in older adults, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute cautions.
Member Comments