Calculate Your BMI (Body Mass Index)

What is BMI?
BMI, stands for Body Mass Index, is a measurement by using a person’s height and weight to calculate the amount of body fat they have compared to others of the same heights and weights. In other words, it is used to indicate whether you are underweight, overweight, obese or in healthy range of weight.

Why is BMI important?
As mention before, BMI will help to indicate a person’s body fatness. This will help you be informed and to be alert of your own body fat. Too much body fat is a problem, because it may lead to health problems and other obesity related diseases. It can also affect your self esteem and confidence.

Calculation?
To calculate your BMI, divide your body weights(kg) by the square of your heights(m).

or you can use the BMI calculator below to figure out your BMI range. However, this calculator is for adult only and not suitable for children or teenagers who are still growing.

Compare the results with the indication below to determine your healthy BMI.
· Underweight, if your BMI less than 18.5
· Ideal, if your BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9
· Overweight, if your BMI is between 25 and 29.9
· Obese I, if your BMI is between 30 and 34.9
· Obese II, if your BMI is between 35-39.9
· Extremely obese, if your BMI is above 40

With the result you get, try to maintain your BMI in the ideal range to decrease the risk of developing health problems. Health problems not only occurs when you are overweight or obese. People who are underweight may also have increased risk of health problems such as anemia, osteoporosis and heart irregularities.

Other Method than BMI?
BMI alone is not enough to calculate if a person is at risk of obesity. You can also use other ways of measuring your body fatness. One of the more accurate and inexpensive way to determine if you are at risk of obesity related diseases is from calculating your waist-hip ratio. This method measures the amount of fat stored on your body around your waist and hips.
To calculate your waist-hip ratio, standing relaxed and naked, use measurement tape and measure your waist at the narrowest point, this is normally between your lower ribs and hips, and then measure your hips at their widest point. Next, divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement.

For men, if your ratio is more than 1 (>1) and women, more than 0.8 (>0.8), means that you are at greater risk of developing health problems.

In conclusion, you can check your BMI to calculate if your body fat is at healthy range and check your waist-hip ratio to determine if you are at risk of obesity related diseases, because excess fat in around abdominal can put you at greater risk.

Tags: bmi, body mass index, calculator, fat, ideal, obese, overweight, underweight, waist hip ration, waist-hip

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 at 11:22 pm and is filed under Health and Beauty. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.