Importance of Knowing the Body Mass Index
Exercise and proper nutrition are important for every individual, but for those trying to lose weight, they take on a new significance. Designing a personal plan can be difficult; many need an indicator of their ideal goal. The Body Mass Index is an easy way to keep tabs on weight loss and weight management, and to keep a healthy perspective on the ideal weight.
-
Definiition
-
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement used to help estimate the percentage of fat present in the body. It is calculated based on height and weight, and can signify that a person is underweight, at a healthy weight, overweight or obese. Specifically, BMI is calculated by the following formula: Divide weight in pounds by height in inches, Square the result, and multiply by 703. The BMI is often considered in conjunction with the waist circumference to assess the risk of obesity-related conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart attacks.
Categories
-
Charted BMI measurements range from 18.5 to 30. Under 18.5 is considered underweight, and over 30 is considered obese. A BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 is a normal weight, while 25 to 29.9 is overweight. Waist measurements are also taken into consideration; the waist should be under 35 inches for women, and under 40 for men.
-
Function
-
The BMI is a fairly accurate measurement of the amount of fat in the body, and is easier to use than direct body fat tests. While a high BMI does not necessarily indicate health problems, it does alert health care providers to a potential high risk for developing heart problems and other obesity-related issues. It is important for each individual to know his BMI to help assess the necessity for weight loss or the prevention of further weight gain.
Considerations
-
While the BMI is a useful measurement, it is not an all-encompassing measure of health and should not be used that way. It is healthy for women to have a higher percentage of body fat than men at any given weight, which will affect how a BMI is read. BMIs can also be inaccurate for athletes with a lot of muscle. Muscle is heavier than fat, and can increase an individual's weight, therefore increasing the BMI, without adding any health risks. The BMI scale is for adults only; separate measurements are used for children and teenagers, if necessary.
Benefits
-
The BMI is easy to use and fairly accurate, making it beneficial to the average individual. It also helps monitor the general public's health and risk level, as doctors and clinics can assess large numbers of individual BMIs for little or no cost and keep records of the data. A high BMI, coupled with a high waist measurement and/or other risk factors like high cholesterol, high blood pressure and family history of heart problems, indicates a need to lose weight.
-
