What is the Body Mass Index (BMI)?
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used screening tool that estimates whether a person has a healthy body weight for their height. While it does not directly measure body fat, research has shown that BMI correlates closely with direct measures of body fat for the majority of the population.
How to Interpret Your Results
The World Health Organization (WHO) standardizes BMI into four primary categories:
- Underweight (Below 18.5): May indicate a nutritional deficiency or underlying health condition.
- Normal Weight (18.5 – 24.9): The optimal range associated with the lowest risk of weight-related health conditions.
- Overweight (25.0 – 29.9): Indicates excess body weight, which may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Obese (30.0 and above): Indicates a high level of excess body weight, strongly associated with metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and hypertension.
Limitations of the BMI Scale
It is important to remember that BMI is an imperfect metric. Because it only accounts for height and weight, it cannot distinguish between muscle mass and fat mass. Highly athletic individuals or bodybuilders often register as "Overweight" or "Obese" despite having very low body fat percentages. For a more accurate reading of your physical health, consider calculating your Body Fat Percentage.