These ranges of BMI vary based on factors such as region and age, and are sometimes further divided into subcategories such as severely underweight or very severely obese. Specifically, the value obtained from the calculation of BMI is used to categorize whether a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese depending on what range the value falls between. It is widely used as a general indicator of whether a person has a healthy body weight for their height. Note that the calculator also computes the Ponderal Index in addition to BMI, both of which are discussed below in detail.īMI is a measurement of a person's leanness or corpulence based on their height and weight, and is intended to quantify tissue mass. Use the "Metric Units" tab for the International System of Units or the "Other Units" tab to convert units into either US or metric units. Also, see your doc and round up your general health metrics.īut in general, emphasize healthful behaviors- regular running and other activities, eating healthy foods, and not smoking-over basing lifestyle decisions on a certain BMI reading.The Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator can be used to calculate BMI value and corresponding weight status while taking age into consideration. Some gyms and health clubs even offer these services. A body composition test performed with a DEXA scan, skinfold caliper test, or bio-impedance scan (like a Tanita scale) can give you a better idea of your actual body composition, so you know how much of you is lean, muscle tissue relative to fat. Janet Tomiyama, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at UCLA who directs UCLA’s Dieting, Stress, and Health Lab, suggests gathering more data for a fuller picture of your weight, health, and fitness. If you’re concerned about your BMI or your healthcare provider raises a red flag over yours, A. The takeaway: Use your BMI as only one part of an overall assessment of your health. → No matter what you’re looking to improve in your running life, find it with Runner’s World+! On the flip side, more than 30 percent of those with normal BMIs were actually unhealthy according to those markers. Researchers found that nearly half of overweight men and women and 29 percent of obese people were otherwise totally healthy. The results revealed that there was no strong connection between BMI and overall health. We Need to Undo How We’ve Been Taught to View FoodĪdditionally, research published in the International Journal of Obesity looked at data from over 40,000 people and analyzed the link between BMI and key health markers including blood pressure, glucose, insulin resistance, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.How to Nurture Your Relationship With Exercise. Runners, It’s Time to Say Bye Bye to BMI. In general, large stores of deep abdominal fat pose a greater health risk than the same amount more evenly distributed throughout your body. Two people may have identical BMI measurements (“healthy” or otherwise), but where one might store most of their fat as deep abdominal, visceral fat-which is known to be a high health risk-the other might store it as relatively innocuous subcutaneous fat (the kind you pinch under your skin). That means we sometimes see big numbers on the scale even if we have relatively low body fat.īMI also says nothing about how your fat is distributed. As athletes, we tend to have a higher proportion of muscle tissue, which by nature is denser than fat tissue. Similarly, it’s possible to be muscular and have relatively low body fat but still have a BMI in the “overweight” range. Of course, it’s possible to be in the “healthy weight” range and have an unhealthful lifestyle a small-framed person who smokes, never exercises, and shows signs of or has a history of disordered eating could have a lower BMI than an active non-smoker who follows a healthier diet. In the same studies, these and other health risks, as well as the likelihood of dying at an early age, go up dramatically for people with a BMI of 30 or greater. In large studies, people’s risk for conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease increase above a BMI of 25. Public health experts have established the following general guidelines for interpreting BMI results, although, as we’ll see below, these ranges might not accurately portray any one person’s situation.īut BMI is only one part of an overall assessment of your health. For decades, healthcare professionals have used Body Mass Index (BMI)-a measure of how much mass someone has relative to their height-to identify whether a patient is at a healthy weight.
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