There are many factors that determine the state of a person's health. Lifestyle choices, such as diet and exercise, may largely determine a person's current health situation, and family history may largely influence a person's future health situation. However, one of the tools that many health professionals use to determine the future risk of chronic disease is BMI, or body mass index. BMI is one way to determine how healthy a person may currently be based upon her height in relation to her current weight.
Identification
Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a mathematical formula used to estimate a person's amount of body fat. The BMI formula is calculated by multiplying a person's weight by 703, and then dividing that number by the person's height in inches squared. For example, the formula for someone who is 5'6 and weighs 130 lbs. would be 130/ (66 x 66) x 703= 91390/4356=20.98. Therefore, the person's BMI is 21.
Potential
BMI calculations are interpreted to determine the overall health of a person without examining any other external considerations. For example, a BMI of 18 indicates a person is underweight and possibly undernourished; a BMI of 19 to 24 indicates a healthy weight range; a BMI of 25 to 26 suggests risk for cardiovascular disease; a BMI of 27 to 30 suggests an increased risk for high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and hypertension and a BMI of 30 or more indicates obesity with a strong recommendation to increase physical activity, behavior therapy and calorie reduction, states Lifespan, the Rhode Island integrated health care system.
However, two people can have the exact same BMI, but be in two distinctly different ranges of physical health. Because BMI is calculated using height and weight only, it is not always a true indicator of present, or future, good health. For example, two men can be 6'2, weigh 225 lbs. and have a BMI of 30. However, one man may be a bodybuilder and be in excellent physical shape and the other man may be sedentary and obese.
Additional Factors
Level of physical activity, cholesterol level, diet, blood sugar levels, family history of disease and blood pressure elevation levels are additional factors that help health care professionals determine a person's chance of developing a chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer, states the University of Pennsylvania Office of Health Education. Waist circumference, an indication of abdominal fat that may initiate certain diseases, such as heart disease, is also considered an important factor in chronic disease development.
Exceptions
BMI calculations for elderly people and people who have experienced muscle wasting due to paralysis will be underestimated. Pregnant women, body builders and select high performance athletes will experience BMI overestimations.
Considerations
A person's waist circumference is a better indicator of future health risk than a BMI score, states Deakin University and the Better Health Channel of Australia. Women who have abdomen fat of 34.6 inches or more in circumference and men who have abdominal fat of 40.2 inches or more in circumference have a serious risk of developing a chronic or life-threatening disease.
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