Every person wants to know whether he/she is healthy or not. Health is something that is beyond what meets the naked eye. However, BMI can help a person find out whether he/she is healthy or not based on his/her weight and height measures.
BMI stands for Body Mass Index, it is the estimated measurement of fat present in a person’s body. BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kgs by his/her height in square meters. For instance, a BMI of 23 means 23kg/m2. It takes into account the variations of the shape of the person’s body and gives a healthy weight range suitable for the particular height.
You don’t have to calculate on your own to know your BMI. You can easily go to any online BMI calculator, feed your weight and height ratios, and get your BMI percentage.
There is a standard chart that defines whether a particular person is healthy, underweight, overweight, or obese based on BMI measurement. Here is that standard chart:
- Less than 18.5 – Underweight
- 5 to 24.9 – Healthy weight
- 25 to 29.9 – Overweight
- 30 or higher – Obese
BMI has been trusted by many health professionals to know the basic health status, especially when it is for a large group of people. The major reason behind this is it is quick and doesn’t need any fancy equipment. But this simple technique has its limitations, as it delivers a result based on half information. There are factors other than weight and height that play a key role in determining a person’s health status. It is important to consider them else the report becomes unreliable.
There are a few exceptions that differ the standard health status categorization of BMI
- Women typically have more body fat as compared to men
- Asians have more body fat as compared to others
- Older people have more body fat as compared to younger ones
- Athletes have more body fats as compared to non-athletes
These discrepancies prove that BMI test should be done considering various factors that affect the health status result like age, gender, etc.
BMI in adults
To calculate the BMI in adults, you need to compare the weight and height. There are two methods to do this. First is the metric method. In this method, weight is divided in kilograms by heights in meter squared.
The other method is the imperial unit method. In this method, the weight of the person in pounds is multiplied by 703 and divided by height in square meter.
To avoid calculating manually, you can use an online BMI calculator.
BMI in children and teens
BMI in adults does not include age and gender in the calculation. When it comes to kids and teens, considering age and gender becomes mandatory. This is because various factors like girls and boys grow at different rates and have different fat based on age. Also, their weight and height specification change every month. The rate of development in boys is different than that in girls.
Hence, if you want to get the accurate status of your health based on BMI, it is suggested to consult with a doctor by discussing all the related factors. To know your BMI, you can use any BMI calculator available online.