What is body mass index? And how do I find out what my ideal body mass index should be?
(July 15, 2010)
With the increasing focus on obesity and the danger it poses to the quality of an individual’s life, a number of people are interested in finding out whether they are overweight or not. The calculation of the body mass index plays a key role in identifying whether an individual is overweight, obese or just right for his size, thereby helping people calculate to some extent what risk they are at when it comes to certain conditions such as heart disease, arthritis, and breathing complications to name but a few. The body mass index is a calculation that compares an individual’s actual weight to the ideal weight for his or her height. Obesity, or even simply being overweight, poses a number of problems that are substantially more serious than just the negative impact they have on the aesthetic appeal of an individual. The excessive weight applied on the joints increases the likelihood of suffering from conditions like arthritis while the excessive fat and cholesterol content increases the likelihood of the development of a few heart conditions.
There are a number of body mass index calculators on the internet that will simply require your gender, age, and height in order to calculate the index number. Because of the fact that there are so many of them out there, there is a chance that a few of them may not calculate the number accurately. As a result, it is highly recommended you have your doctor calculate your BMI for you to ensure accuracy. The added advantage of doing so is the fact that in the event you turn out to be either overweight or obese, your doctor can immediately give you advice on how to change things around and lead a healthier lifestyle. There are 4 main body mass index categories that are divided on the number generated by the body mass index calculator. If your BMI reading stands at anywhere under 18.5, you are considered to be underweight while anything between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered to be normal weight. Overweight stands at anything between 25 and 9.9 while anything above 30 is considered to be obese. Keep in mind that this calculation may not be completely accurate and that it cannot be used as the only tool in determining if one is overweight or obese. Seniors tend to have low muscle mass and so they may have excess fat but their BMI will not reflect it. Those who exercise regularly may have a very high BMI and may be classified as overweight according to this system but that does not mean that they have excess amounts of fat. Talk to a doctor to determine if you are overweight and make sure that you change your diet accordingly.
