Obesity is more than just carrying a little extra fat weight -- it is a medical condition that not only interferes with your quality of life but poses potentially serious health risks. Obesity-related health risks include high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and diabetes, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The body mass index -- usually referred to as BMI -- is a medical calculation you can use to help you determine if you are obese.
Calculating BMI
The first step in combating obesity is determining your BMI. To get your body mass index -- to find out if you have a BMI placing you in the obesity category -- first get your current height in inches and your weight in pounds. The NIH instructs you to multiply your weight in pounds by 703, then divide the result by your height in inches. Divide the new result by your height in inches once more. This is your BMI.
BMI Ranges for Obesity
On the BMI scale, a result that indicates a healthy weight is between 18.5 and 24.9, reports MedlinePlus. BMI results of 25.0 to 29.9 indicate that you are overweight. If your BMI is between 30.0 and 39.9, you are medically considered obese -- and if your body mass index is 40.0 or above, you are morbidly obese, according to the BMI scale, and should take action to reduce your risk for serious health problems.
BMI Accuracy Concerns to Consider
Like any standardized tool, a high BMI result may not necessarily indicate obesity. The body mass index calculation does not take into account the amount of muscle you have, nor the size of your body frame -- two key factors that affect the BMI scale's accuracy when determining whether you are obese. For instance, if you are a bodybuilder who stands 68 inches tall and weighs 260 lbs., your BMI will come out to approximately 39.5, indicating that you are almost in the range of morbidly obese. Also, reports the Baylor College of Medicine, the BMI scale does not consider your age, gender or ethnicity; all neglected factors that can skew your results to falsely indicate that you are obese.
Properly Determining Obesity with BMI
The most effective and beneficial way to use the BMI to assess whether you are obese is to do the calculation yourself and bring it to the attention of your personal physician. Or, you can have your doctor calculate your BMI, adjusting for factors such as your muscle mass, gender, ethnicity and body-fat percentage. The BMI is a valuable tool that can indicate whether you are obese and at risk for serious health problems -- yet like any other tool, it must be used properly to be effective.
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