Below 18.5
18.5 - 24.9
24.9 - 29.9
30 or More
Note: The BMI score is based on the formula provided by the CDC. The actual score of an individual may differ depending on certain physical features such as muscle mass and more.
BMI stands for body mass index, it is a number that is designed to evaluate the health of a person. It is calculated by using the height and the weight of a person.
The way you calculate BMI is based on a simple formula. The formula is:
BMI = weight (lbs) × 703 height (in)2
BMI goes all the way back to the 1830's. An astronomer, mathematician, and statistician by the name of Adolphe Quetelet began taking men's height and weight and developed the earliest known form of BMI. At this time, he was creating a bell curve with the information he collected to try and define the "normal man".
The formula he created was similar but different, and he had given the value a different name, the Quetelet Index. It wasn't until 1972 when physiologist Ancel Keys built upon Quetelet's work and transformed it into the BMI that we know today.First and foremost it is best to ask any medical questions to your primary care physician. We will shed some more light on the topic but we are not trained medical professionals giving health advice.
When you use the calculator to get your BMI, you will notice it is a number. There are various different categories your number can fit under. These categories and their values are as of 2024 and mimic the US CDC information.
If you BMI score is below 18.5, you are considered underweight.
If you BMI score is between 18.5 and 24.9, you are considered to be a healthy weight.
If you BMI score is between 25 and 29.9, you are considered overweight.
If you BMI score is 30.0 or above, you are considered obese.
If you BMI score is below 18.5, you are considered underweight.
While BMI is am important metric for some, there are some limitations it has still.
For the elderly and children, the BMI score is not as useful. It should not be used to measure the healthiness of the weight of these individuals.
Athletes are in a world of their own, their bodies are not the typical and do not really fit into the category of being benefited by BMI. It will likely not be accurate for these individuals, there are other calculations athletes should take to understand their body better.
Even if you do get your BMI and it ends up being overweight or obese, this will not have any impact directly on your health or be able to determine if you are more healthy than any other person with any other score.
BMI is a number that is used to define your body type. There are four main body types; underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obese.
BMI is not an accurate measure of health for a number of reasons. First, ti only gives you an idea as to your body type. A person who is deemed to be obese can still be in better health than someone who is just overweight. There may be more underlying health conditions that determine just how healthy a person really is. Additionally, it does not take into account anything like smoking, drinking or other possible negative hobbies on the body.
BMI is only based on your height and weight. Your height is likely not going to change much if at all, so if you are looking to improve your BMI you will need to work on losing some weight so the BMI score reduces.
Muscle mass can affect BMI because muscle is denser than fat. This means athletes or individuals with high muscle mass might have a higher BMI despite having a healthy body composition.
BMI calculators are based on formulas that are consistent and 100% correct. Our calculator is correct as we are using the most up to date formula that is approved and used in health at this time.
Create Date: May 27, 2024
Last Modified Date: July 5, 2024
