BMI: Why Is It Important to Know?

BMI: Why Is It Important to Know?

BMI stands for Body Mass Index, and it is one of the most-used metrics in health. It means how does your weight correlate to your height and if this ratio is healthy. This metric is used by health professionals and personal trainers all around the world to help decide if a person is underweight, a healthy weight, overweight, or obese. So, how can we calculate this ratio and why is BMI important?

To measure your BMI, you divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared, for example, X (kg)/X (m2) = X BMI. Or, if imperial is your style, you can use this formula:

BMI = weight (lb.) / [height (in) x height (in)] x 703

Knowing your BMI, you will be able to say which category you fit into and its potential impact on your overall health.

• Underweight: BMI less than 18.5

This means your mass is not sufficient for your height, and you may need to gain weight.

• Healthy weight: BMI between 18.5 and 24.9

You are considered normal. You don’t need to lose or gain weight. But be warned, this is not the go-ahead to eat what you want or do zero exercises.

• Overweight: BMI between 25 and 29.9

A BMI of between 25 and 29.9 indicates that it’s time to take a look at your weight and overall health.

• Obese: BMI of 30+

Having a BMI of 30+ puts you at risk of serious health conditions. Time to hit pause and get yourself back on track.

BMI is an efficient tool to get a general overview of whether a person is at risk of developing any significant health conditions due to their weight.

A high BMI can be a risk factor in various conditions, such as:

• Diabetes
• Heart problems
• Stroke
• Muscular-skeletal disorders
• Cancers
• Other

In addition, it helps assess trends in populations. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity has grown 3 times since 1975 and affects 39% of adults and 39 million children under the age of 5 years old.