Body Mass Index (BMI) is a ratio of weight and height of a person. This is the easiest, cheapest instrument to find out if you are underweight or obese. In some way Body Mass Index can be considered a type of body fat measure. Knowing your body state will help you to foresee and avoid health problems.
Body Mass Index Calculator has been elaborated to identify weight problems not only for adults, but for children as well, since children’s obesity is becoming threatening. However, one should mind that Body Mass Index Calculator can not be taken as an accurate diagnostic tool.
There are a few moments any physician should take into consideration while assessing if obesity is threatening your health. He should evaluate a person’s diet and physical activity, observe a person’s family history, find out skinfold thickness, and make some more screenings.
Body Mass Index Calculator is a reliable tool, since Center for Disease Control (CDC) tends to use it to measure if a person is severely underweight, overweight or obese.
Definitely there are other ways to determine a person’s body state, like computerized tomography, bioelectrical impedance, underwater weighing, but these methods are not always available, require more time and more trained staff, and what is important, they are much more expensive.
Let’s consider the Body Mass Index formula. Measurement units can be different, meters and kilograms, inches and pounds. The formula itself is very simple and it is the same both for adults and children.
Body Mass Index number is weight in kilograms or pounds divided by height in meters squared or inches squared.
While using metric system it’s necessary first to divide height in centimeters by 100 in order to obtain height in meters. For example 155 cm is 1.65 in meters. And then divide weight in kilograms by height in meters squared.
While calculating BMI using inches/pounds system, one should divide weight in pounds by height in inches squared and multiple results by 703, which is a conversion factor.
While interpreting Body Mass Index Calculator for children, it’s important to take into account that Body Mass Index for children and teens under age 20 depends greatly on age and sex.
For adults aged 20 y.o. and more, the weight status categories of Body Mass Index for all ages and for women and men are the same.
There exist a specific table showing various parameters, like height, weight ranges, Body Mass Index ranges and the corresponding weight categories.
There are several basic weight status categories:
Severely Underweight - BMI 16.5
Underweight - 16.5 - BMI 18.5
Normal - 18.5 - BMI 25
Overweight - BMI 25 - 30
Obese Class I - BMI 30 -35
Obese Class II - BMI 35 - 40
Obese Class III - BMI 40+
The Body Mass Index number and body fatness ratio is rather strong; however a person’s sex, race and age can influence the correlation. Women having the same Body Mass Index as men are likely to have more body fat. Older people having the same Body Mass Index as younger adults tend to have more fat. Well trained athletes are a special category as they usually have a high Body Mass Index, but unlike ordinary persons, in this case the Body Mass Index shows the increased muscularity, and not an increased body fat.
Body Mass Index Calculator helps people to control their body state and identify the possible obesity, thus preventing various diseases and consequently lethal outcome. Obese individuals are subject to risky diseases, namely Type 2 diabetes, Coronary heart disease, Sleep apnea and respiratory problems, Hypertension, Stroke, even some cancers and etc.