What is BMI?
Body Mass Index (BMI) compares your weight to your height, and is calculated by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by your height (in metres squared). It gives you an idea of whether you’re ‘underweight’, a ‘healthy’ weight, ‘overweight’, or ‘obese’ for your height. BMI is one type of tool to help health professionals assess the risk for chronic disease.
Why Is a Healthy Weight Important?
Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health and can help you prevent and control many diseases and conditions. If you are overweight or obese, you are at higher risk of developing serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers. That is why maintaining a healthy weight is so important: It helps you lower your risk for developing these problems, helps you feel good about yourself, and gives you more energy to enjoy life.
What the Results Mean
Generally, if you’re at a healthy weight, your body mass index should fall between 18.5 and 24.9, notes the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. If your BMI is below 18.5, you could be underweight. On the other hand, a BMI greater than 25.0 is categorized as overweight, while a score above 30 is considered obese.
A body mass index in the low range signals that you could be malnourished. Maybe your body isn’t properly absorbing nutrients or maybe you’re just not getting enough calories to support your activity level. Conversely, having a BMI on the higher end alerts your physician that your risks of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers are higher than someone with a normal BMI.
Calculate Your BMI (same for Men and Women)
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This BMI Chart can be used as a Guide towards your BMI results.
