When is a BMI calculator used?

Understanding your BMI

Calculating your BMIusing the Body Mass Index calculatoror manually is only the initial step, but knowing it is the next. To make it easier for you to understand these are the categories that your health condition could be classified into according to your BMI -

• When your BMI < 18.5 -

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

• When your BMI is more than 18.5 and < 24.9

Your physical health situation would be categorized as healthy in regard to those with the same age, gender, and height as you.

• When your BMI is greater than 25 but is 29.9

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

• If you're BMI is higher than 30

Your health condition could be classified as overweight in comparison to others who are of the same age, gender and height as you. The people whose physical condition is categorized as underweight or obese are generally considered as the most vulnerable to health-related diseases.

Which is your ideal BMIfor both men and women?

Body mass index is the measure of one's weight relative to their size, so gender is not an essential role in determining whether you're underweight, overweight, obese or a healthy person. To help you understand better what it means, here's an illustration of a man and woman who both have a height of 5'7" and weigh around 81kgs both have their physical condition classified as overweight, regardless of their gender.

Why is the cost of your health insurance more expensive if your weight is low?

Understanding your BMI

Calculating your BMI using the Body Mass Index calculator or manually is only the first step. Understanding it is the next. For more clarity, here are the categories that your physical condition will be classified into according to your BMI --

• If your BMI < 18.5 -

Your physical health issues would be classified as being underweight with respect to those who are of the same age, gender and height.

• When your BMI is > 18.5 and < 24.9

Your physical health condition would be classified as healthy comparison to other people who are of the same gender, age and height.

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

Your physical health issue could be classified as overweight relative to other people who are the same gender, age, and height as you.

• If you're BMI is greater than 30, you are HTML0.

Your physical condition will be classified as obese relative to those who are the same age, gender, and height as you. People whose health condition is categorized as underweight or overweight are generally thought to be more susceptible to health issues.

What is the ideal BMI for men and women?

BMI Ranges

Now that you've got your BMI Check where you sit in the BMI of the range listed below.

The BMI is less than 18.5 (or less than 18.5). it is considered to be overweight.

A BMI ranges between 18.5 or 24.9 - you are considered to be within the healthy weight range.

If your HTML0 BMI falls within 25.0 and 29.9- you are considered to be overweight.

Your BMI is more than 30 - you are considered to be obese.

My BMI is too high, what could I do? What can I do in order to lose weight?

An ideal first goal that you should aim for is to lose 10% or more of the body's weight. Although that's probably not enough to get you into a healthy weight range, it's a great beginning if you're overweight studies have shown that it's enough to offer health benefits including reducing the risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The WW program encourages participants to establish realistic weight-loss targets and provides the expertise and techniques to help you achieve them.

Are BMI more vital for men or for women?

The identical BMI measurements apply to both genders , as the same risks of developing obesity-related illnesses apply for both men and women.

Research has found a connection between having an increased BMI and a higher likelihood of developing several illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis as well as certain kinds of cancers, such as breast cancer.

Is BMI 100 percent precise?

It's not always the case for everybody. It's hard to tell the difference between muscle and fat and, therefore, those who have an impressive muscle mass usually have a high BMI even though their body fat is within the normal range. In addition, a balanced BMI does not necessarily indicate good health. Actually, research has shown that three out of three who have healthy BMIs are quite unhealthy once other test results such as blood pressureand blood glucose, and cholesterol , are taken into consideration.

One reason could be that BMI doesn't reflect where body fat is stored, and it's possible to have a healthy BMI but carry excessive fat around your waist, a location that is more at risk of health risk than the weight you carry on your hips and thighs. A 2017 study confirmed that point, finding that people who have excess weight around their midsection but with healthy BMIs have most risk of dying from any cause, compared to people with higher BMIs that carry the excess 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."

Should I be concerned about calculating my BMI?

Yes indeed, says Dr Michelle Celander, WW program and Science Director. "BMI gives an overview of how weight impacts the chance of suffering from medical problems for a population of people even though it might not be an accurate indicator of risk of illness for every person, it's helpful 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 are the other metrics that matter?

Two of them are recommended to do:

A) Your waist-to-hip ratio
Divide your waist measurement (in centimetres) by your hip measurement (in centimetres). A waist-to-hip ratio higher than 0.9 for males or 0.85 for women suggests an increased health risk.

B) Your waist-to-height ratio:
Divide your waist measurement (in centimetres) by your height (in centimetres). For optimal health, research shows that keeping your waist circumference less than half your height or a ratio of no more than 0.5 - is wise.