How to Calculate Your BMI? Body Mass Index Calculator

What is Body Mass Index?

Body mass index (BMI) is a measurement based on height and weight as it relates to body fat, and can be used to determine how much risk a person has of developing certain health problems because of his or her weight. As a point of reference, someone with a BMI of 27 is approximately 20 percent overweight. The higher the BMI, the greater the risk a person has to develop additional health problems.

Body mass index has been widely used to assess risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, as well as cancer, which has made BMI a standard measure of body weight for large scale epidemiological studies. It is not possible, however, to measure body fat using BMI, as the body fat that is measured is not the same as the body fat that gives an individual a higher BMI.

It can also be used as a measure of muscular development, which is a good indicator for sports training and physical fitness.

Problems with BMI Calculation

Although body mass index is good for most men and women, it does have certain problems:

1. BMI can be too high and show excess body fat in athletes and muscle builders.
2. BMI can be too low in elder persons that lost muscle mass.
3. BMI Calculator should not be used for children and teens, 2 to 18 years old. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov

People with the same weight can have different body fat percentage and body weight depending on muscle mass and bone mass, which can contribute to a person being classified as overweight or obese, but healthy.

There are also various factors that influence people's perception of weight, such as age, sex, ethnicity, cultural background, and cultural preferences, which can affect people's behavior when it comes to their weight.

Measuring BMI

Measuring Weight

How to measure body weight? Although the answer might appear simple, you need to take into consideration a few facts and techniques.

First, there is the morning and evening method, which is used for tracking changes in your body weight over time. You just measure body weight on your digital scale at the time when you have the most stable and consistent body weight. Then, you record it and move on to other activities.

The most important idea is to measure your weight at the same time of day. It makes no sense to compare your previous measurement after a full lunch with the new one after being on a diet for a few days. Yes, your scales will show the difference - but is it a real difference in your body weight? The answer is no.

Measuring Height

The next step is to measure your body height. Let's find out how to measure your height. First of all, take off your shoes. Stand up straight and make sure that your feet and heels are together. Make a mark on a wall at the top if your head. You may use a book or any other item to do so. Put your finger at this spot.

Take two steps backward and measure the distance between the point where your finger touches the wall and the flooe. This is your body height.

Calculate Your BMI

There are different obesity calculators online that can help you find out your body fat percentage based on your height and weight. The most common is the Body Mass Index calculator (from US National Institutes of Health).

To find out your BMI, you need to weigh yourself, stand up straight and measure your height. Put the results into a calculator online to find out if you are healthy, overweight or obese.

This BMI Calculator is an easy-to-use online tool to help you estimate your body fat. The BMI calculator uses Imperial or Metric measures. To calculate your BMI, enter your height and your weight in the boxes below and then check your body mass index:

Body Mass Index Categories

Technically, the BMI scale will place you in one of six categories. The table below lists the BMI categories along with the BMI score associated with each category:

Classification	Body Mass Index Score
Underweight	less than 18.5
Normal Weight	18.5 - 24.9
Overweight	25 - 29.9
Obesity (Class 1)	30 - 34.9
Obesity (Class 2)	35 - 39.9
Extreme Obesity (Class 3)	40+

Body Mass Index: Results

Even though the Body Mass Index was developed more than 150 years ago, major health care providers and authorities such as the CDC in the United States or NHS in the United Kingdom still consider it to be a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people.

However, you should be aware that BMI can show you if you are overweight or not but it can't tell you if you suffer from excess body fat. The problem is that BMI cannot note the difference between excess fat, muscle, or bones. Still, you can use your BMI result as a starting point for further discussion with your doctor about your weight and general health.

Exercise and physical activity are healthy habits. Physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions. People of all ages should be encouraged to exercise regularly and engage in other physical activities, such as playing sports, in their daily lives.

After Calculation: Assess Risks

Risks associated with being overweight include: high blood pressure and diabetes, joint disease and conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer.

Lack of physical activity is often a contributing factor in being overweight or obese. If you are more physically active in your daily life, this can help prevent being overweight and may also reduce the risk of certain illnesses.

Some research shows that certain medications, such as some blood-pressure-lowering medications, anti-cholesterol medications and steroids, can cause weight gain, so ask your doctor if you are taking any of these. For some people, there is a genetic component to the problem. People with a certain gene may have a tendency to be overweight and have increased body fatness than others. Studies suggest that being overweight increases the risk of becoming a victim of Alzheimer's disease.

Obesity Treatment

Obesity is a major public health concern, as it has the potential to contribute to health conditions that cause premature death, disability, and illness. In the United States, it is estimated that about 35% of the adult population and 17% of the youth population are obese.

The burden of obesity on society is enormous, and therefore, strategies to prevent and treat it are essential. The only existing treatments for obesity are long-term dietary and exercise modifications, healthy lifestyle changes and healthy nutrition, which should include dietary weight loss supplements to provide all necessary vitamins, minerals, as well as amino acids and other ingredients essential for successful weight loss.

Some additional medications for faster and more stable weight loss include metabolism boosters, fat burners and appetite suppressant pills. All these products can be helpful in your weight loss plan if used in conjunction with healthy lifestyle.

Start Obesity Treatment!