Body Mass Index (BMI) is a quick and easy way to estimate body fat and categorize the weight into different categories. BMI is calculated by dividing body weight in kilograms by height in meters. The BMI classify into one of the following categories:
| Body Mass Index | |
|---|---|
| BMI | Category |
| Below 18.5 | Under weight |
| 18.5 to 24.9 | Normal Weight |
| Between 25 to 29.9 | Over Weight |
| 30 or Higher | Obesity |
BMI Calculator
Remember, BMI is just a medical screening tool and not a diagnostic one. Higher BMI means higher body fat. Overweight or obese is associated with health risks like heart disease, high blood pressure (hypertension), type-2 diabetes, gallstones, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, certain cancers (like colon, breast, endometrial and gallbladder), depression and other mental health conditions.
Lower BMI (low body fat) may be related to malnutrition, anemia, weak immune system, osteoporosis and infertility.
BMI has limitations because, It doesn't take into account things like how much muscle you have or how your body is shaped. BMI also doesn’t measure the location or distribution of body fat. For example, someone who's really muscular might have a high BMI, but they're actually very healthy. BMI is not accurate for some children and teenagers, pregnant women, athletes, people over 65 years of age, and People who have muscle atrophy.
