What's Your Body Mass Index? What Does It Mean?

What's Your Body Mass Index? What Does It Mean?

One term we hear a lot about recently is "Body Mass Index",
or BMI. It seems to be important, but many people are not
sure what it is, what it means, or why they should be
concerned about it. In this small article, we are going to
try to shed a little light on:

1. What is Body Mass Index?

2. How is it calculated?

3. What does it mean?

Stated simply, your body mass index is a means of measuring
your body fat relative to height. The basic reason for
this is that weight alone is not a reasonable measure of
fat or health. For years, men and women have looked at
height/weight tables and been told that if they were of a
certain height and weighed a certain weight than they were
"overweight" and, by implication, in some sort of potential
health crisis. However, the BMI calculation allows an
individual or health care provider a means of making a
quick assessment of potential health risks.

Calculating your Body Mass Index is a relatively simple
process. You can calculate your BMI yourself, but you are
more likely to get a more precise measurement of your
health risk if you have it and other measurements done by
your doctor or at a facility which has the necessary
equipment and professionally trained personnel.

To calculate your BMI based on height and weight, divide
your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and
multiply that answer by 703. If you are using the metric
system, the weight will be in kilograms, and the height
will be measured in meters. The equation is exactly the
same (remember to square your height), but there is no need
to multiply by 703.

However, the results still only involve height and weight
and do not take other factors into account. For example: A
muscular, weightlifting athlete in excellent health, i.e.
someone like Arnold Schwarzenegger, would appear to be
overweight.

While calculating a person's BMI is simple and immediately
gives a health care professional an idea of the
individual's potential health risks relevant to the fat on
their body, there are still some other factors which should
be assessed as well. The athlete mentioned above might
have a very small waist, and indeed, the circumference of
the waist should also be taken in addition to the BMI
calculation itself. It is also possible to take some
fairly specific fat measurements using calipers and other
instruments. It is also important to view the BMI in the
context of the individual's health history, life style,
age, sex, smoking, drinking, and other factors. That is
why having these measurements done by trained professionals
is important.

For the moment, however, let's just look at our Body Mass
Index measurements and see what they mean.

**A BMI of 18.5 is considered as being Underweight.

**A BMI range of 18.5 - 24.9 is considered normal.

**A BMI range of 25.0 - 29.9 is defined as overweight.

**A BMI of 30.0 and above is categorized as obese.

While a little too complicated to reproduce in an article
which may be published on many different sites, there are
charts available online which will allow you to add such
measurements as waist circumference to the Body Mass Index
calculation in order to get a slightly more accurate
assessment of health risk due to being overweight or obese.
A rule of thumb however, is that for men a waist
circumference of more than 40 inches raises the health
risk. For women, a waist circumference of more than 35
inches also raises the risk.

So, what does a high BMI mean in terms of potential health
risks?

While there is no guarantee that obesity or an overweight
condition in any one individual will definitely result in
specific conditions, it has been statistically shown that
there is a correlation between being overweight or obese,
and the likelihood of incurring one or more of these
conditions as a direct or indirect result:

**High blood pressure,

**High cholesterol

**Type II diabetes

**Heart Disease

**Some forms of cancer

The good news is, that should you find yourself defined as
overweight or obese, a weight loss of just 10% of your
current weight will have a definite impact on the health
risks you face.

The best way to control your weight and minimize health
risks due to obesity or being overweight is through regular
moderate exercise and by making wise nutritional choices.
Additionally, a lifestyle which includes regular exercise
and healthy eating choices will produce other positive
health changes in addition to the weight loss itself. Fad
diets do not work for permanent healthy weight loss, and
diet pills and potions are at best ineffective and can
actually be dangerous in some cases. Some diet regimens
may actually result in increased weight and a higher BMI in
the long run.

In order to improve your health outlook, take a look at
your BMI and use it as a reminder of the choices you need
to make in order to live a longer and healthier life.

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Donovan Baldwin is a Texas writer. He is a University of
West Florida alumnus, a member of Mensa, and is retired
from the U. S. Army after 21 years of service. His
interests include art, nature, animals, the environment,
global warming, health, fitness, yoga, and weight loss. He
has posted several of his articles on exercise and weight
loss at http://nodiet4me.com/articledirectory/