Body Mass Index Chart

It is not that hard to determine your Body Mass Index (BMI) if you know the formula. BMI number is considered to be one and the same for men and women of different ages; however the BMI for children has its own Body Mass Index Chart. Body Mass Index number is the correlation between a person’s height and weight, it shows so to say the quantity of fat accumulated in a person’s body. The formula was elaborated by a Belgium mathematician Adolphe Quatelet in the 1830s. The formula itself is rather easy, and doesn’t require any special knowledge. All you need is to know your height and weight. If you are going to use metric system, then in order to get your height in meters, you need to divide your height in centimeters by 100; that is your height 175 cm is 1.75 in meters. The next step is to divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. If you calculate your height in inches and your weight in pounds, then the formula is as follows: you should divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and then multiple the result by 703. The number 703 here is a conversion factor. However, in order to simplify the process the scientists have developed the Body Mass Index Chart. While surfing the internet you will come across many different Body Mass Index Charts for adults and for children and teens under age 20. While sex and age is not important for calculating the BMI of an adult, these parameters are highly important for children and teens. The Body Mass Index Chart is not to be taken literally when calculating the Body Mass Index number of an old person or of a sportsman. Since a body of an old person usually contains more fat than the body of a younger adult. The body of a sportsman contains much muscle, thus making the weight heavier. This fact may qualify him as an overweight or even obese, while in fact it’s not like that at all. Any Body Mass Index Chart usually contains the height and weight parameters, as well as the weight category. There exist the following weight categories: Severely Underweight, Underweight, Normal, Overweight, Obese Class I, Obese Class II and Obese Class III. Based on your weight and height you can easily realize what your weight category is. If your BMI is lower than 16.5 it means you qualify as Severely Underweight and must pay a great attention to your health state, diet and life style. Visit your doctor for a consultation. Provided your BMI is from 16.5 to 18.5, your weight category is Underweight, you might want to reconsider your eating habits. Normal BMI ranges from 18.5 to 25, if this is your category – our congratulations! And now we come to Overweight Category. You are overweight if your BMI ranges from 25 to 30. That’s the critical point before obesity. You should do your best to change your eating habits and behavior before it is not too late. The last three weight categories will qualify you as obese. If so, then it is high time to visit your physician or a weight loss center in order to get a qualified consultation as for the weight loss methods. Obese Class I if BMI is from 30 to 35. Obese Class II if BMI is 35-40 Obese Class III if BMI equals to 40 and higher. If you feel like your body tends to put on weight we would highly advise you to save the Body Mass Index Chart on your personal computer and apply to it monthly. This will help you to keep control over your weight and over the possible diseases related to excess weight, such as high cholesterol level, diabetes, heart disease.