Your body weight is an important indicator of how healthy you are. The body mass index, or BMI, is a calculation that determines if your current body weight is healthy for your height. If your BMI is too high, you have a greater risk for developing chronic disease and illness. A sample BMI calculation is a great way to learn how it is performed.
Sample Body Mass Index Calculation
The first step in the BMI calculation is to measure your height and weight. You then take your weight and multiply it by 703. For an example, if you weigh 234 lb. and are 6 feet tall, you would multiply 234 by 703 to get 164502. That number is then divided by your height in inches. Six feet equals 72 inches, and 164502 divided by 72 equals 2284.75. This answer is then divided a second time by your height in inches to get the BMI number: 2284.75 divided by 72 equals 31.7.
BMI Categories
The BMI score of 31.7 is then compared to the body mass index categories. The five categories include underweight, healthy, overweight, obese and morbidly obese. Each of these categories has a range of numbers associated with it. A score less than 18.5 is underweight; a score between 18.5 and 24.9 is healthy; and a score of 25.0 to 29.9 is overweight. If you score over 30.0, you are considered obese. The range for obesity is 30.0 to 39.9, and a score over 40.0 is morbidly obese. Therefore 31.7 is in the obese category.
Impact of Obesity
According to MedlinePlus, obesity is different from overweight; obesity refers to having too much body fat and is not the same as having too much body weight. Being overweight and obese both indicate a greater risk for developing chronic illness. A BMI of 31.7 can increase your risk for developing heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, arthritis, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, varicose veins and some forms of cancer, according to MedlinePlus.
Considerations
Body mass index alone does not determine if you are healthy or not. If your number is high, it does indicate you need to make changes to your lifestyle such as improving your diet and exercise habits. The sample BMI calculation demonstrates how a 6-foot, 234-lb. person rates on the BMI scale. The calculation is the same for both men and women.
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