How to Measure Your BMI Index
The body mass index, or BMI as it is more well-known, is a popular method health care providers use to determine whether a person is healthy, overweight or obese. Luckily, this system involves a relatively easy calculation, which you can perform in the comfort of your own home. Follow the steps below to see where you rank.
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Instructions
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Weigh yourself. Any regular scale will work in either the metric or standard systems. Any difference will be worked out later in the calculations phase. Write this amount down and move on.
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Measure your height in inches. You might need someone to help you do this, but any measuring device will work. Once again any difference in the standard or metric systems will be worked out later.
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Insert these amounts into the equation. If using the standard measuring system, then you should multiply your weight by 703. After obtaining this result, you should then find the squared result of your height in inches. Then take the result of your weight and divide it by the result of your squared height. The result is your BMI. If you are using the metric system, simply divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. Then you will have your BMI as well.
For example, if you weigh 190 lbs., multiply that by 703 to get 133,570. If you are six-foot tall, or 72 inches, square that to get 5,184. Now, divide 133,570 by 5,184 to get your BMI, which is 25.8. This is just in the overweight range.
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Consult a BMI chart. If your total is below 18.5, then you are considered underweight, if between 18.5 and 24.9 then you are healthy, if between 25 and 29.9 you are overweight, and if you are at 30 or higher you are considered obese.
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Talk to a doctor. If you find that you are in an unfavorable classification, you should meet with your doctor and discuss how you can make positive changes in your health. Even if you are healthy, it can't hurt to visit with a doctor regularly.
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Tips & Warnings
The Internet features plenty of BMI calculators that do all of the work for you. One such link is found in the references section below.
BMI is increasingly seen as a less viable measure of overall health. The waist-to-hip ratio is seen by some researchers as a more viable method of determining overall health. A link to further reading on this topic can be found in the resources section below.
References
Resources
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