BMI, which stands for body mass index, is a numerical representation of your weight to height ratio. Your specific BMI is used to determine whether or not you are at a healthy weight, and it can be used as a general prediction of body fat percentage, although it cannot determine the exact percentage. Your BMI is often used to determine if your weight puts you at risk for heart disease.
Calculating BMI
The American Heart Association and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute provide online BMI calculators as a tool for you to quickly determine your BMI. If you do not have access to these online calculators, you can figure out your BMI independently by using your weight and height. To determine your weight most accurately, place your scale on a hard, flat surface and wear little clothing and no shoes. Step on the scale and round your weight to the nearest pound. Measure your height in inches and round to the nearest quarter of an inch.
To calculate your exact BMI, multiply your weight in pounds by 703. Divide this number by your height in inches and then divide your result by your height in inches once more. This final number represents your BMI.
BMI Measurements
BMI measurements are separated into five different classes. A BMI below 18.5 indicates that you are underweight. If your BMI falls between 18.5 and 24.9, you are classified as having a normal, healthy weight. BMI measurements between 25.0 and 29.9 fall into the overweight category, and BMI measurements of 30.0 and above classify you as obese. A BMI of 40.0 or greater is defined as extreme obesity. The American Heart Association notes that people with a BMI of 30.0 or greater are generally at least 30 pounds overweight.
Practical Use of BMI
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, BMI ranges represent the relationship between your weight and your risk of disease and death. People with a BMI of 25.0 or greater are generally considered to have an increased risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, stroke, gallbladder disease and respiratory problems.
Limitations
Although BMI measurements are fairly accurate for most of the population, there are some limitations. BMI may not be a useful tool for extreme athletes or people with a muscular build. Muscle weighs more than fat, so if your body contains a lot of muscle, you will weigh more than someone of the same height whose body contains a lot of fat. BMI calculations can misinterpret muscle weight and overestimate the body fat percentage of people with a lot of muscle. BMI measurements may also underestimate the amount of body fat in older adults or people who have recently lost a significant amount of muscle mass, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
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