What's BMI?
BMI is a body mass index calculated by combining height and weight. The use of this index helps to eliminate the influence of different heights on body mass index, and better reflects the degree of obesity of the body, so as to facilitate comparisons between groups of people or individual judgments on the degree of healthiness of weight.
Since BMI does not distinguish between body weight fat and muscle, it is more useful to determine body weight by also measuring the percentage of body fat (body fat percentage) when appropriate equipment is available.
BMI Categories
| Category | BMI (kg/m2) |
|---|---|
| Underweight (Severe thinness) | < 16.0 |
| Underweight (Moderate thinness) | 16.0 – 16.9 |
| Underweight (Mild thinness | 17.0 – 18.4 |
| Normal range | 18.5 – 24.9 |
| Overweight (Pre-obese) | 25.0 – 29.9 |
| Obese (Class I) | 30.0 – 34.9 |
| Obese (Class II) | 35.0 – 39.9 |
| Obese (Class III) | ≥ 40.0 |
ref：Body Mass Index
BMI Calculation Formula
BMI is calculated by dividing body weight (kg) by the square of height (m), expressed as:
BMI = mass(kg) ÷ height(m)2
What are the health risks of overweight and obese BMI?
Overweight and obese patients tend to have hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and abnormal glucose tolerance, with an increased relative risk of coronary heart disease and obesity-related diseases or conditions. Commonly seen:
- Hypertension
- Type 2 diabetes
- Dyslipidemia
- Coronary heart disease and other atherosclerotic diseases
- Stroke
- Certain cancers related to the endocrine and digestive systems
- Sleep apnea, gallbladder disease, fatty liver disease, etc.
- Social and psychological problems caused by overweight and obesity
Who does BMI not apply to
- Minors and some elderly people
- People who are pregnant and breastfeeding
- Athletes and some fitness, bodybuilding and other muscular people