According to the National Institute of Health, body mass index (BMI) is an index of weight adjusted for the height of an individual. BMI is the most commonly used tool to evaluate if an individual's weight is affecting his health.
Significance
Maintaining a healthy weight is one way to combat many diseases and health concerns. BMI is an easy way for individuals to determine if they are on track with their weight or if they need to make modifications in exercise and diet habits to get to a normal weight and healthy BMI.
Benefits
BMI is one of the best tools used to assess an individual's health based on weight. BMI calculations use only an individual's height and weight, making it an inexpensive, easy way to determine health risks. This method of measurement also allows individuals to compare their results to others to see where they fall compared to the general public.
Calculating BMI
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), calculate BMI by dividing weight in pounds by height in inches squared and multiplying by a conversion factor of 703. Inserting an individual's personal height and weight information into the formula will yield their BMI results.
Interpretation
If an individual has a BMI below 18.5, that individual is considered to be underweight. A BMI for a normal weight individual ranges from 18.5 to 24.9. Overweight individuals maintain a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9. If an individual has a BMI greater than 30, he is considered to be obese. BMI is calculated the same way for children and teens, but it is interpreted differently. This is because with children and teens, body fat changes with age and differs between boys and girls. The CDC's mass-index-for age charts are used to determine BMI in children and teens.
Considerations
Realize that BMI is not a direct measure of body fat. BMI utilizes weight, which includes fat and muscle, to calculate and compare how an individual measures up. If an individual has a lot of muscle, then the BMI is going to show that person to be overweight when they are, in fact, healthy and at a normal weight. BMI may show an older individual who has lost muscle and bone mass as normal and healthy when in fact they have a high percentage of body fat.
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