What Is the Importance of Knowing the BMI?
Body Mass Index, BMI, calculated from height and weight, provides a useful measure of overweight and obesity, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. BMI provides a fairly reliable indication of body fatness for most people and can serve as a screening tool for weight categories associated with health problems. The higher the BMI, the higher the risk for certain chronic diseases. Knowing a person's BMI can provide information to help assess disease risk and plan steps to minimize or prevent health problems related to...