The BMI chart index helps establish a healthy weight range for you based on your height.
When you monitor your BMI, you are better able to set manageable weight loss goals.
There are many predictors of your health. Understanding the relationship between your weight and your height is extremely important to your longevity.
Even if youre really healthy and work out all the time, you may be surprised to know that your body mass index does not reflect it. You can be healthy as a horse, and still be classified as overweight and obese. This is because fat and muscle cannot be differentiated in the calculations and is a big disadvantage to the chart calculations.
Also, some people do not exercise regularly but may still be lean and underweight. For these few people, their BMI number would reflect that they are perfectly healthy, which may not be necessarily true. In these instances, the relationship between the BMI value and the actual state of health of the person can be inaccurate.
However, if you don't have a lot of muscle mass and are feeling pudgy, the BMI chart index can be a terrific predictor.
Calculating BMI is relatively easy if you have a calculator handy. Keep in mind that people do make mistakes in their calculations, which can yield faulty results.
BMI Chart Index Calculations
English BMI Formula
BMI = Formula: weight (lb) / [height (in)]² x 703
Calculate BMI by dividing weight in pounds (lbs) by height in inches (in) squared and multiplying by a conversion factor of 703.
With the metric system, the formula for BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Since height is commonly measured in centimeters, divide height in centimeters by 100 to obtain height in meters.
Example: Weight = 68 kg, Height = 165 cm (1.65 m) Calculation: 68 ๗ (1.65)² = 24.98
If the calculations seem to hard or you just don't have time, refer to the chart to find your BMI.
BMI Chart Index
Your BMI Number
Below 18.5 = Underweight
18.5 24.9 = Normal
25.0 29.9 = Overweight
30.0 + = Obese
Reliability
How reliable is BMI as an indicator of body fat?
The correlation between the BMI chart index number and body fat is fairly strong, but the correlation varies by age, sex, and race.
At the same BMI, women tend to have more body fat than men.
At the same BMI, older people, (in general) tend to have more body fat than younger adults.
Highly trained athletes may have high BMI because of increased muscularity rather than fat.
It is also important to remember that BMI is only one factor related to risk for disease. For assessing someone's likelihood of becoming overweight or having related diseases, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines recommend looking at two other predictors.
A person's waist circumference should always be evaluated because belly fat can be a strong predictor of risk for weight related diseases.
Other risk factors someone already has. This includes diseases and conditions associated with being overweight such as high blood pressure, Diabetes, and even physical inactivity.
Calculating Body Fat
Your height, waist, and hips should be accurately measured. To calculate body fat, divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. The numerical value you obtain should be at or below .9 for men and at or below .8 for women. In conclusion, men should have a waist measuring 40 inches or below and women should have a waist which measures 35 inches or below. The waist should measure only 50 percent of your height.
If your numerical values are above normal ranges, it is advisable to consider some weight loss plans. A healthy, well balanced diet should be formulated and this should be accompanied by an exercise regimen. The percentage of fat, which is present in the body, should be well below 30 percent for both men and women. If you need to lose fat, consider Alli supplements. Alli is designed to help you eliminate fat, and is a good option for people who are overweight or who have a BMI that's over 25.
The BMI chart index will only go so far to predict your health problems. Losing weight now is key to overcoming many illnesses later in life!