What is BMI?
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of a person’s weight with respect to his or her height. It is more of an indicator than a direct measurement of a person’s total body fat. BMI, more often than not, correlates with total body fat. This means that as the BMI score increases, so does a person’s total body fat.
For adults over 20 years old, BMI falls into one of the following categories.
Underweight: BMI is less than 18.5 kg/m2.
Normal weight: BMI is 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2.
Overweight: BMI is 25 to 29.9 kg/m2.
Obese: BMI is 30 kg/m2 or more.
How to calculate BMI
BMI in an individual is calculated by the use of a mathematical formula.
The formula is - BMI = (Weight in kilograms) divided by (Height in meters squared)
A normal BMI score is one that falls between 18.5 kg/m2 and 24.9 kg/m2. This indicates that a person is within the normal weight range for his or her height. A BMI chart is used to categorize a person as underweight, normal, overweight, or obese.
What is the health-related issues due to an inappropriate BMI?
BMI is used by healthcare professionals to screen for overweight and obese individuals. The BMI is used to assess a person’s health risks associated with obesity and overweight.
For example, those with a high BMI are at risk of
High blood cholesterol or other lipid disorders
Type 2 diabetes
Heart disease
Stroke
High blood pressure
Certain cancers
Gallbladder disease
Sleep apnea and snoring
Premature death
Osteoarthritis and joint disease
Kalani Weerasinghe
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