When is a BMI calculator used?

Understanding your BMI

Calculating your BMIusing the Body Mass Index calculatoror manually is just the first step. Understanding it is the next. To give you more clarity, here are the categories that your health condition will be classified under according to your BMI -

• You have a BMI is less than 18.5 -

Your physical health condition would be classified as overweight in comparison to other people that are the same gender, age, and height as you.

• Your BMI is greater than 18.5 and < 24.9

Your physical health status would be considered to be healthy in relationship to people who are of the same gender, age, and height as you.

• You're BMI is above 25 but less than 29.9

Your physical health issue could be classified as overweight in relation to the individuals who are the same age, gender and height.

• If you're BMI is > 30

Your physical condition will be classified as overweight in relation to the individuals with the same gender, age and height. Patients whose physical health is classified as either underweight or obese are generally considered as the most vulnerable to health diseases.

How do you determine the best BMIfor both men and women?

It is an indicator of one's weight in relation to their height . Therefore, gender does not play any significant role in determining if you're underweight, overweight, obese or a healthy person. To make it easier to understand what it means, here's an illustration - a man and a woman who both have 5'7" height" who weighs 81 kgs both have their physical condition categorized as overweight regardless of their gender.

What is the reason why the cost of your health insurance policy higher if you are underweight?

Understanding your BMI

Calculating your BMI using the Body Mass Index calculator or manually is only the first step, understanding it is the next. To provide you with more information these are the categories your physical health condition could be classified in based on your BMI --

• In case your BMI < 18.5 -

Your physical health problem would be classified as overweight when compared to others with the same gender, age, and height as you.

• Your BMI is higher than 18.5 and < 24.9

Your physical health status would be categorized as healthy in respect to others who are of the same age, gender and height.

• In case your BMI is higher than 25, but 29.9

Your physical health problem could be classified as being overweight relative to other people with the same gender, age, and height as you.

• When your BMI is > 30

Your physical health status would be classified as being obese relative to those that are the same gender, age and height. Persons whose condition is classified as obese or obese are generally believed to be most susceptible to health issues.

What is the optimal BMI for men and women?

BMI Ranges

Now that you've got your BMI determine where you're in the BMI range below:

The BMI is less than 18.5 If your BMI is less than 18.5 - you are considered to be overweight.

It is a sign that your BMI falls between 18.5 or 24.9 - you are thought to be in a healthy weight range.

It is a sign that your BMI will be within 25.0 to 29.9- you are classed as overweight.

Your BMI exceeds 30 - you are considered to be obese.

My BMI is way too high, what should I do to help me lose weight?

A good initial goal to strive for is to lose 10% per cent of your body weight. If it's not enough to propel you towards a healthy weight it's an excellent start when you're overweight, and research has shown it's enough to deliver health benefits, which include reducing the risk of heart disease. The WW program encourages participants to be focused on realistic weight loss targets and provides the expertise and strategies to help reach them.

Is BMI more vital for men or for women?

The same BMI measurements apply to both genders as the same risk of developing a weight-related disease are applicable for both men and women.

The research has established the link between having more BMI and a higher chance of contracting a range of diseases, including heart disease Type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis as well as certain kinds of cancers, such as breast cancer.

Is BMI 100 100% precise?

It's not necessarily accurate for everyone. It's difficult to distinguish between fat and muscle so those with a large muscle mass will frequently have a high BMI, even when their body fat levels are in the healthy range. Plus, a healthy BMI does not necessarily indicate good health. Research shows that one in three people with healthy BMIs are quite unhealthy once other test results, including blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol , are taken into consideration.

One reason could be that BMI isn't a good indicator of where body fat is stored, and it's possible to maintain healthy BMI however, carrying too much fat around the waistline, a region that is more at risk of risk to health than weight that is carried around your thighs and hips. A 2017 study has proved that the point by revealing that people who carry excess weight around their middle , but who maintain a healthy weight are the highest risk of dying due to any cause, as compared to those with higher BMIs who carry the additional weight elsewhere.

"If I had to choose between making sure my BMI or my waist-to-hip ratio are within the 'normal' range, I would go for the latter," says the University of Sydney's Associate Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, who co-led the study. "A high waist-to-hip ratio most likely means high amounts of abdominal fat, and we know this comes with quite serious health risks."

Do I have to bother with calculating my BMI?

Yes, says Dr. Michelle Celander, WW program and Science Director. "BMI gives a glimpse of how weight can affect the risk of having medical problems across a wide range of individuals and, while it might not be the perfect indicator of risk of illness for every person, it's valuable as feedback for you.

"But, while it is a good idea to calculate and know what your BMI is, no one piece of feedback about your weight or health should be viewed in isolation, so it's really important to consider your BMI in context of other information and measurements."

What other measurement is important?

There are two you should be aware of:

A) Your waist-to-hip ratio:
Divide your waist measurement (in centimetres) by your hip measurement (in centimetres). A waist-to-hip ratio of more than 0.9 for males while 0.85 for women indicates an increased risk of health.

B) Your waist-to-height ratio
Cut your waist measurement (in centimetres) by your height (in centimetres). For optimal health, research indicates that keeping your waist circumference less than half your height - or a ratio that is not more than 0.5 it is recommended.