BMI stands for body mass index -- the measurement of the amount of a person's body fat. When a person has a high BMI, it can be used to predict potential health issues such as type-2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Low BMI can also cause health problems, such as heart failure.
Significance
BMI measurements can help determine if an adult has a weight problem. It's typically used to assess if a person is overweight. Doctors or other health care providers may use BMI to predict a person's weight-related health risks. Because a BMI test is relatively easy and inexpensive to conduct, health insurance companies may also use BMI tests to asses the health and fitness levels of clients.
Calculation
The same method of BMI calculation is used for both male and female adults. There is come controversy about this, because men and women have different bodies and women are predisposed to carry more body fat than men. According to the Centers for Disease Control, you measure your BMI by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared. Multiply this sum by the conversion factor of 703 for your total BMI.
Misconceptions
The University of Virginia says using this calculation to determine your body fat percentage poses challenges because body fat composition can change with age and the loss of muscle mass. Additionally, athletes who weigh more thanks to increased amounts of muscle can have misleading BMIs. BMI calculations do not take bone or muscle into consideration.
Interpretations
The CDC reports adults with a BMI of 18.5 or less are considered underweight. A range of 18.5 to 24.9 is normal, and 25 to 29.9 is overweight. A BMI higher than 30 is considered obese. While BMI can be used as a baseline to help determine if someone is at risk for weight-related health issues, the CDC says it is important to use other factors as well. These include the presence of conditions that are typically found in obese adults, such as high blood pressure. Waist circumference is also a factor.
Alternatives
The CDC notes there are other ways to measure body fat that are more accurate than BMI tests, but they require trained personnel to administer the tests and they may be expensive. The CDC also reports the variety of tests makes it difficult to create a standard across all tests, which makes comparisons difficult. Alternate measurement methods include skin fold thickness tests using calipers, isotope dilution, bio electrical impedance and underwater weighing.
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