Do you know what your Body Mass Index is?

Body Mass Index (or BMI) can show if carrying extra pounds can translate into health risks. It is determined by dividing a person’s weight by the square of their height. Using the BMI became popular in the 1950’s and 60’s as obesity began to become a problem in western countries.

BMI is designed to classify sedentary individuals with an average body composition. For these individuals here are the current value settings: an index of less that 18.5 may indicate that a person is underweight, an index of 18.5 to 25 may indicate a person is at a healthy weight, a Body mass index of 25 to 30 suggests that a person is overweight and a number above 40 could be classified as obese.

The higher a person’s BMI is the, the greater the persons risk is for developing heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. And a person’s risk of death increases 50 to 150% with a BMI of more than 30.

Having a BMI that is too low can be just as dangerous as having one that is too high. Particularly among underweight females, an index of 17.5 or less can be a sign of starvation and all of the health risks that accompany it. Some of the risks include: liver, kidney , heart and immune system damage, dehydration, infertility and death.

There are limitations to the accuracy of the BMI. It is difficult to measure the fat on athletes for example because they have so much lean body mass. Index measurements for the elderly and children can be inaccurate because they have less lean body mass than the average person. Underwater weighing and skinfold measurements are techniques that can be used to measure body mass on these groups.

With all the health risks associated with being overweight or underweight, keeping track of your body mass index is a must. And it is so easy to do! Click here to learn more about controlling your BMI