top of page
Search

WHAT IS "BMI" AND WHAT'S THE HEALTHY RANGE?

Writer's picture: mmgmainmmgmain

BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a measure that is often used to assess whether a person has a healthy body weight for a given height. It is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the standard BMI categories for adults as follows:

  1. Underweight: BMI less than 18.5

  2. Normal weight: BMI 18.5–24.9

  3. Overweight: BMI 25–29.9

  4. Obesity I: BMI 30–34.9

  5. Obesity II: BMI 35–39.9

  6. Obesity III (Severe/Morbid Obesity): BMI greater than or equal to 40

Please note that while BMI can be a useful tool in assessing population health, it does have limitations when applied to individuals. For instance, it doesn't differentiate between muscle and fat. Therefore, someone with a lot of muscle (like an athlete) might have a high BMI but is not necessarily overweight or obese. Conversely, someone can have a normal BMI but still have unhealthy levels of body fat, a condition sometimes referred to as "normal weight obesity" or "skinny fat."

Always consider other factors and measures when evaluating personal health, such as waist circumference, body fat percentage, diet quality, physical activity level, and other health indicators like blood pressure and cholesterol levels. For a full understanding of your health, it's best to consult with a healthcare professional.


1 view0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page