Everyone's build is a little different: some are tall and thin, while others are short and stocky, and everything in between. BMI, or body mass index, is a numerical measurement that takes your height and weight into account to determine whether you are overweight, underweight, or normal weight. Some people naturally have a lower BMI because they have faster metabolisms and naturally smaller bodies, and vice versa.
BMI can be easily calculated using your metric height and weight. Your doctor may look at your BMI, in addition to other factors, to assess your overall health. BMI is just one factor that helps determine overall health. It should never be used alone to assess health status.
Everyone's build is a little different: some are tall and thin, while others are short and stocky, and everything in between. HeIMC, or body mass index, is a numerical measure that takes your height and weight into account to determine whether you are overweight, underweight, or normal weight. Some people naturally have a lower BMI because they have a faster one.metabolismand of course smaller bodies and vice versa.
BMI can be easily calculated using your metric height and weight. Your doctor may look at your BMI, in addition to other factors, to assess your overall health. BMI is just one factor that helps determine overall health. It should never be used alone to assess health status.
What is BMI?
In general, BMI is used to determine whether you are a healthy weight for your height.2) BMI is used to determine tissue mass. It helps you understand if you are overweight, underweight or at a healthy weight. Healthy BMI ranges vary by age. BMI is a generic measure intended to be used in conjunction with other factors to provide information about your health. It's a useful indicator in determining whether you need to lose weight or gain weight. Because being overweight or underweight can have important health implications, it's important to know your BMI.
What is a healthy BMI?
For adults age 20 and older, BMI ranges are as follows: (1)
- Under 16:extremely underweight
- 16-17:slightly underweight
- 17-18.5:slightly underweight
- 18,5 - 25:Normal
- 25 - 30:overweight
- 30 - 35:grade I obesity
- 35 - 40:class II obesity
- Over 40:Class III obesity
Healthy BMI ranges for kids depend on where your child is on the growth chart. Normal BMI ranges for children are as follows:
- Below the 5th percentile:Low weight
- Equal to or greater than the 5th percentile and less than the 85th percentile:normal weight
- At or above the 85th percentile, but below the 95th percentile:overweight
- At or above the 95th percentile:overweight
The risks of being overweight
If your BMI indicates that you are overweight, you may be at risk of developing certain health problems. Risks associated with being overweight include:
- high blood pressure or high blood pressure
- Elevated triglycerides, also known as "bad" cholesterol
- develop type 2 diabetes
- heart disease
- attack
- gallbladder disease
- Arthritis
- sleep apnea and breathing problems
- some types of cancer
- craziness
- Increased risk of mortality
Keeping your BMI at or below 25 kg/m2 can help you avoid the above risks. Losing weight is challenging, but it's worth the effort it takes to improve your quality of life and overall health. If your BMI is higher than you'd like to see it, you should work with your doctor to determine if you have other health conditions so you can find a realistic and achievable weight loss plan.
The risks of being underweight
maintain a healthy BMIit should not be interpreted as keeping your BMI as low as possible. Just as there are risks associated with a BMI that is too high, there are also risks associated with a BMI that is too low. The risks of being underweight include:
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
- Anamie
- Bone weakness and fractures caused by osteoporosis.
- low immune function
- Developmental problems in children and adolescents.
- Hormonal imbalances and irregular menstrual cycles in women
- Surgical Complications
- Increased risk of mortality
Sometimes being underweight can be a sign of an underlying health condition. It's important to talk to your doctor if you have an abnormally low BMI, so he or she can look for other health issues and find a viable way to start gaining weight.Weight.
BMI restrictions
While BMI is a useful indicator of health, it is a very general measure and should be used in conjunction with other assessments to get a more complete picture of a person's health. BMI is only an estimate and does not take into account other important factors such as the distribution of muscle, bone and fat mass.
For adults, BMI lacks accuracy when used alone, as it is a measure of weight, not fat. your age, your muscle mass,fat body, activity level and gender affect your BMI and should be taken into account when assessing your health. For example, an inactive elderly person may have a "healthy" BMI when in fact it's not because they don't have muscle.
On the other hand, many athletes would be considered overweight due to increased muscle mass based on BMI. You should never look solely to your BMI to determine if you are healthy or to make decisions about your health. Health is a complex concept and BMI is just one of many factors to consider.
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To calculate your BMI, you can use an online calculator where you just enter your height and weight to find your BMI.1) You can also use a BMI formula to do this manually.
The formula for calculating BMI uses the metric system:
- BMI = weight in kilograms/height in meters
For example, if you weigh 75 kilograms and are 1.9 meters tall, calculate your BMI as follows:
- 75 (1,9) 2 = 75 3,61 =20.78
To calculate your BMI using US units of measurement (pounds and inches), apply the following formula:
- BMI = 703 x weight in pounds/height 2 in inches
For example, if you weigh 125 pounds and are 70 inches tall, calculate your BMI as follows:
- 703 x (125 (70)2) = 703 x (125 4,900) = 703 x 0,0255 =17.93
common questions
How do I calculate BMI?
A BMI calculator is an easy way to find your BMI. All you have to do is find out your height and weight. Make sure you are using the correct units of measurement. Some BMI calculators use the metric system (inches and kilograms), while others use US units (inches and pounds). You can calculate your BMI manually using the BMI formula (above), but a calculator is the easiest way.
What is the best BMI for my age?
If you're over 20, a normal BMI is between 18.5 and 25. If it's outside the range, you may be considered overweight or underweight for your age. Your BMI is just one measure of health, so it's important to work with your doctor to determine whether you need to lose or gain weight.
What is a healthy BMI for a woman?
A normal BMI for adult women over age 20 is between 18.5 and 25. Women tend to have more body fat than men, so a healthy BMI compared to a man's may be associated with unhealthy levels of fat .
What BMI range is normal?
The normal BMI range for an adult is between 18.5 and 25, but you can still be considered healthy if your BMI falls slightly outside this range, based on your percentage of muscle mass and body fat.
references
- United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2012). Calculate your BMI - Standard BMI Calculator.
- Nuttall, CF (2015). Body mass index: obesity, BMI and health: a critical review. Nutrition Today, 50(3), 117.
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FAQs
Do you calculate BMI differently for men and women? ›
How is BMI interpreted for adults? For adults 20 years old and older, BMI is interpreted using standard weight status categories. These categories are the same for men and women of all body types and ages.
What is the ideal BMI for males and females? ›below 18.5 – you're in the underweight range. between 18.5 and 24.9 – you're in the healthy weight range. between 25 and 29.9 – you're in the overweight range. 30 or over – you're in the obese range.
How much should a 5'2 female weigh BMI? ›Height | Normal weight BMI 19–24 | Overweight BMI 25–29 |
---|---|---|
5 ft 2 in (62 in) | 104–131 lb | 136–158 lb |
5 ft 3 in (63 in) | 107–135 lb | 141–163 lb |
5 ft 4 in (64 in) | 110–140 lb | 145–169 lb |
5 ft 5 in (65 in) | 114–144 lb | 150–174 lb |
For adults ages 20 years and older, BMI incorporates weight and height, but it does not take age or sex into account. A woman tends to have more body fat than a man with the same BMI. Likewise, an older person tends to have more body fat than a younger person with an equal BMI.
How does gender affect BMI? ›For the 5 th and 25 th quantile of the BMI, males have higher BMI whereas for the 50 th, 75 th, and 95 th quantiles females have higher BMI. The disparity in BMI by gender gets higher at the upper and lower quantiles of BMI distribution. Therefore, the BMI gap is higher for the females and males underweight or obese.
What is the most attractive BMI for a woman? ›There is some evidence to suggest women might unknowingly idealize underweight bodies. Using figure rating scales, Aniulis et al. (27) found that the most frequently selected ideal body had a BMI of 19.79, closely followed by an underweight ideal of 18.26.
How much should a 5 5 female weigh? ›Male | Female | |
---|---|---|
5' 4" | 117 - 143 lbs. | 5' 4" |
5' 5" | 122 - 150 lbs. | 5' 5" |
5' 6" | 128 - 156 lbs. | 5' 6" |
5' 7" | 133 - 163 lbs. | 5' 7" |
BMI changes substantially with age. After about 1 year of age, BMI-for-age begins to decline and it continues falling during the preschool years until it reaches a minimum around 4 to 6 years of age. After 4 to 6 years of age, BMI-for-age begins a gradual increase through adolescence and most of adulthood.
What should a 60 year old woman BMI be? ›Calculating BMI, or body mass index, is another way to help determine ideal body weights in women over age 60. Desirable, healthy BMIs are 18.5 to 24.9, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
What is the best BMI for a senior woman? ›Older people.
In older adults it is often better to have a BMI of 25 to 27, rather than under 25. If you are older than 65, for example, a slightly higher BMI may help protect you from thinning of the bones (osteoporosis).
What is the right weight for 5'2 female in lbs? ›
Height | Weight | |
---|---|---|
5' | 97 to 127 lbs. | 153 to 199 lbs. |
5' 1" | 100 to 131 lbs. | 158 to 206 lbs. |
5' 2" | 104 to 135 lbs. | 164 to 213 lbs. |
5' 3" | 107 to 140 lbs. | 169 to 220 lbs. |
If your BMI is less than 18.5, it falls within the underweight range. If your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, it falls within the Healthy Weight range. If your BMI is 25.0 to 29.9, it falls within the overweight range. If your BMI is 30.0 or higher, it falls within the obese range.
How do I calculate my BMI? ›Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person's weight in kilograms (or pounds) divided by the square of height in meters (or feet).
What should a 55 year old man BMI be? ›Doctors recommend most adults keep their BMI between 18 and 24.9. Adults with a BMI over 25 are considered overweight and a BMI over 30 is considered obese. On the other hand, older adults do better if they have a BMI between 25 and 27.
Who is BMI not appropriate for? ›One of the main issues with BMI is that it cannot account for the difference between muscle and fat. Because muscle tissue is more dense than fat, many athletes and bodybuilders are considered overweight according to BMI despite being in peak athletic health.
Why is BMI not used as much anymore? ›BMI (body mass index), which is based on the height and weight of a person, is an inaccurate measure of body fat content and does not take into account muscle mass, bone density, overall body composition, and racial and sex differences, say researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.
Who is BMI not accurate for? ›BMI is also not reliable to use on elderly adults, who generally have lost some amount of muscle and bone mass. In this case, an elderly person's BMI could be within a normal range while they might actually be overweight.
What is the difference between male and female body mass? ›Abstract. Body composition differs between men and women. Men have more lean mass, and women have more fat mass than men. Men are more likely to accumulate adipose tissue around the trunk and abdomen, whereas women usually accumulate adipose tissue around the hips and thighs.
What gender is most likely to be obese? ›Recent findings: Obesity is more prevalent in women than men in most countries, but in some countries and population subgroups, this gap is more pronounced. Several obesity-related comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes and hypertension, demonstrate sex-specific pathways.
What BMI makes you attractive? ›These studies have found that a low waist to hip ratio (WHR) of approximately 0.7 [9] and a low Body Mass Index (BMI; weight scaled for height) of approximately 18–19 kg/m2 [10] are perceived as most attractive in female bodies, while a low waist to chest ratio (WCR) of approximately 0.7, and relatively high BMI ( ...
At what BMI do you start to look skinny? ›
What exactly counts as being "skinny?" Some healthcare experts believe a BMI in the 15-18 range to be clinically underweight. This seems to fall pretty close to what many everyday people consider to be "skinny" with a BMI of 18 or lower frequently listed as the indicator of someone considered to be slim.
What is the healthiest waist size? ›What should your waist measurement be? For men, a waist circumference below 94cm (37in) is 'low risk', 94–102cm (37-40in) is 'high risk' and more than 102cm (40in) is 'very high'. For women, below 80cm (31.5in) is low risk, 80–88cm (31.5-34.6in) is high risk and more than 88cm (34.6in) is very high.
What is considered thin for a woman? ›Women with a BMI of less than 18.5 are considered underweight. The average woman's height is 5 feet, 4 inches. If you weigh 107 pounds or less at this height, you are considered underweight with a BMI of 18.4.
How can I slim down after 60? ›Burn more calories than you eat or drink. Eat more veggies, fruits, whole grains, fish, beans, and low-fat or fat-free dairy; and keep meat and poultry lean. Limit empty calories, like sugars and foods with little or no nutritional value. Avoid fad diets because the results don't last.
What is the perfect size for a woman? ›The specific proportions of 36–24–36 inches (90-60-90 centimeters) have frequently been given as the "ideal", or "hourglass" proportions for women since at least the 1960s (these measurements are, for example, the title of a hit instrumental by The Shadows).
How much should a 60 year old woman weigh? ›...
What's the Average Weight for Women?
Age group (years) | Average weight (pounds) |
---|---|
20-39 | 167.6 |
40-59 | 176.4 |
60 and older | 166.5 |
Yes as long as the person is declared “healthy” after a physical examination. Muscular athletes often have high BMIs but are healthy. There are many healthy people that have a higher BMI than the suggested healthy range of 18.5-24.9 due to a higher muscle mass than overweight individuals.
At what age does BMI tend to peak? ›From birth till around the age of nine months the BMI increases to a maximum, referred to as the BMI peak [23]. After this peak the BMI decreases to a minimum around the age of 6 years, which is often referred to as the adiposity rebound [24], [25], before the BMI increases again.
Can I have a low BMI and still be healthy? ›According to guidelines, a person with a BMI of less than 18.5 is underweight and may need to gain weight for their health. However, in some cases, it is possible for an individual to have a low BMI but remain healthy. There are also some factors that the BMI does not take into account, such as muscle mass.
What is the average BMI for a woman? ›In the United States, the average adult man has a BMI of 26.6 and the average adult woman has a BMI of 26.5. Although BMI is not a measure of body fatness, persons classified as obese, tend to have excess body fat.
What is a good BMI by age? ›
Age Range | 25th Percentile BMI | Median BMI |
---|---|---|
25-29 | 22.5 | 26.4 |
30-34 | 24.4 | 28.1 |
35-39 | 24.7 | 29.0 |
40-44 | 24.6 | 29.1 |