Body Mass Index is often referred to as BMI. Measuring someone's BMI is used to indicate weight status (underweight, overweight, obese, normal) in adults. Most professionals use this scale to determine if someone is overweight. The bands are quite varied For adults over 20 years old, BMI falls into one of these categories:
BMI Weight Status
Below 20 Underweight
20 – 25 Acceptable Weight Range
25.0 – 30.0 Overweight
Over 30.0 - Clinically Obese
Over 40 - Morbidly Obese
The BMI ranges are based on the effect body weight has on disease and death. As BMI increases, the risk for illnesses and some disease increases in parallel. Conditions related to obesity include Cardiovascular disease, High blood pressure, Osteoarthritis, some cancers and Diabetes.
How to Calculate your BMI?
You can calculate someone's BMI by using the following formula BMI = Weight (kg) divided by height (in meters squared). Therefore an acceptable weight range for a woman of 5'6" (1.65 meters) is anything from 54.5kg to 68kg!
Body Mass Index Chart
