Body Mass Index
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure which takes into account your weight and height to gauge your overall fitness. Weight measured in kilos is divided by height in meters².
This calculator also pin-points:-
- What you should weigh.
- The percentage away from your optimum weight, if you are not already there.
- What steps you may take to lose weight.
- How long it could take to implement a successful weight loss strategy.
The higher the BMI, the greater the risk of developing health problems. Heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure are all linked to being overweight. A BMI of 30 and over increases the risk of death from virtually any cause.
Traditionally we categorize Body Mass Index as follows :-
- Under 18.5 as Underweight - might denote under-nourishment and a necessity to increase calorie consumption. Underweight can decrease your immune response to infections and diseases, as well as postpone menstruation in young women.
- 18.5 to 25 as Normal -a desirable place to be.
- Over 25 to 30 as Overweight - Overweight can mean being very heavy in weight but not necessarily having a large amount of body fat. Overweight may mean more muscle, which is due to more lean body tissue. An athletic person can weigh more than is recommended based on desirable body weight calculations, but would not be considered obese because most of the weight is from muscle and not from fat.
- Over 30 to 40 as Obese - Obese refers to a large percentage of body fat, no matter what the actual body weight is. People can be obese and weigh an appropriate amount for their height because a large percentage of their weight is from fat.
- Over 40 as Morbidly Obese - For achieving weight loss in severely obese persons, the most effective treatment may be surgery. For example, studies show that with one approach, gastric bypass surgery, patients can lose 50% of their excess weight and keep it off for more than 14 years..
Fill out the form below to calculate your Body Mass Index.
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