Body Mass Index BMI

The BMI is more and more frequently being used to determine whether or not a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese.

Arriving at the BMI involves a mathematical formula:

BMI = (Weight in pounds / height in inches squared) * 706

For example, a person weighing 220 lbs and having a height of 5'7", would have a BMI of:

[220 / (67*67)] * 705 = 34.6

Looking at the following table

Shows us that a person having a BMI of 34.6 would fall into the "Obese" category.

A much simpler way to calculate BMI is to let our online calculator do the work. Just enter your details and click "Calculate BMI". The results are rounded but correspond to the table categories.

The BMI is a good indication as to your total body fat. For the majority of people over 18 years of age, the results would be valid.

There are some limitations however in that the BMI can tend to overestimate results in people with muscular physiques and underestimate results in more mature age groups or people with less muscle mass.

It is however a good starting point to estimating your overall weight condition and can be the necessary push you might need to start a healthier lifestyle.

Above all it's important to remember that starting out is usually the most difficult step. Over the years I've helped numbers of people on the road to a healthier and more attractive figure and body style. Although we tend to concentrate on the physical aspects of weight loss, the health benefits of achieving a normal body weight far outweigh the aesthetic elements.

Being human though, we tend to place more emphasis on the "look" rather then the "health".

Nobody can deny that some of the super models at fashion shows look stunning under the lights of the show. Get close to them though and look at their BMI and the conclusion might well be different. I would be willing to bet that many of the models we see on the TV or in magazines are putting themselves at serious health risk through their eating habits. Being underweight carries health risks which can be as serious as those from being overweight. Achieving a normal BMI range will also benefit our physical appearance, but the health aspect must always come first.