Even today, people who are viewed as being in the overweight range often face unfair treatment. It’s also important to remember that a person’s value, intelligence, or worth have no correlation with their body fat composition. A BMI calculator does not evaluate a person for factors like these, which is why it’s generally recommended that you continue conversations with your doctor about your health beyond the number that you see on the scale or the BMI that was calculated. If they rarely get exercise, they may be at risk for another set of health complications.

If an individual smokes cigarettes, for example, they’re prone to a variety of health risks.

If you are considered overweight or obese based on BMI, it is important to remember that a person’s physical health goes far beyond their weight and that there are a wide variety of healthy BMI ranges. Health and worth beyond the scale Getty/AnnaStills If a child or adolescent has a BMI outside of the healthy range, it may be worth discussing some intervention strategies for identifying and working towards an ideal weight. Note, however, that rapid growth in a child’s height or weight fluctuations can mean that a healthy BMI may vary somewhat, even for children of the same age. Blood tests and fitness assessments can also give you a more well-rounded understanding of your overall physical health.Ĭhildren and teens might need to use a BMI calculator adjusted for age for a more accurate value. Waist circumference, skinfold thickness measurements, and DEXA scans can provide a more nuanced view of body composition.

Women tend to have more body fat than men at the same BMI, and older adults may have more body fat than younger adults with the same BMI.įor a more accurate estimate of body fat, it may be worth taking some other measurements. BMI does not factor in lean body mass, bone density, or fat distribution, nor does it take into account race, sex, age and other factors that can influence a person’s body composition.įor example, a person who lifts weights regularly and has higher than average muscle mass may be considered overweight or even obese according to their BMI, although they may have quite a low body fat percentage. While public health authorities such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institute of Health (NIH) still recommend the use of BMI, it is important to be aware of its limitations. However, BMI is only one metric, and accurately assessing an individual’s overall health may require a more comprehensive analysis by a medical professional. Is BMI an accurate measure?įor most people, BMI can be a worthwhile metric for gauging obesity-related health risks and providing a general sense of where they stand in terms of body weight categories. Thus, weight management can be a crucial aspect of self-care and well-being. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that nearly 3 million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. Despite being a somewhat simplistic metric, BMI values can provide an easy way to identify whether a person might be at an increased risk for certain health problems related to obesity.Įxtensive health research indicates that excess weight is associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing health complications including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, liver disease, and cancer. Generally speaking, a higher BMI indicates more body fat, though there may be some variation due to factors like bone density or muscle mass.

The calculator will give you a number which corresponds to one of four categories: underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. However, it’s easiest to use an online calculator to compute BMI. To calculate BMI, you can divide your weight (in kilograms) over your height (in square meters). Discover ways to build self-esteem in therapy What is body mass index (BMI)?īody mass index (BMI) is an estimation of body composition based on a person’s height and weight.

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