When is a BMI calculator used?

Understanding your BMI

Calculating your BMIusing the Body Mass Index calculatoror by hand is only the first step. Understanding that it is the next step. To give you more clarity this is the list of categories that your health conditions would fall under in relation to your BMI -

• In case your BMI is below 18.5 -

Your health condition could be classified as underweight in regard to those that are similar age, gender and height.

• In case your BMI is > 18.5 and 24.9

Your physical health situation would be classified as healthy regard to those who are of the same age, gender and height.

• In case your BMI is > 25 but < 29.9

Your health conditions would be classified as an overweight condition when compared to others with the same gender, age and height.

• If you're BMI is higher than 30

Your physical health status would be classified as overweight when compared to other people that are of the same age, gender and height as you. Persons whose condition is classified as being overweight or obese are usually thought as the most vulnerable to health-related diseases.

Is there a standard BMIfor men and women?

In the body, body mass index will be the gauge of a person's weight in relation to their height . Therefore, the gender is not any significant role in determining whether you're obese, overweight, or underweight or an overall healthy individual. For you to better understand what it means, here's an illustration one man and a woman who both have 5'7" height" and weigh around 81kgs both have their physical situation classified as overweight regardless of their gender.

Why is the price that you pay for health insurance more expensive if your weight is low?

Understanding your BMI

Calculating your BMI using the Body Mass Index calculator or by hand is just the first step, understanding that it is the second. For more clarity, here are the categories that your health medical condition can be classified into depending on your BMI --

• In case your BMI < 18.5 -

Your health condition could be classified as being overweight with respect to those that are the same age, gender, and height as you.

• You have HTML0 if your BMI is higher than 18.5 and < 24.9

Your physical health would be classified as healthy relationship to people who have the same age, gender, and height as you.

• You're BMI is above 25 but 29.9

Your physical health condition will be classified as an overweight condition in relation to the individuals who are of the same age, gender, and height as you.

• When your BMI exceeds 30

Your physical health issue could be classified as obese in relation to the individuals who are the same age, gender and height. Individuals whose physical health condition is classified as either underweight or obese are generally believed to be most susceptible to health issues.

What is the optimal BMI for men and women?

BMI Ranges

Now that you have your BMI, check where you're located within your BMI interval below.

You BMI is lower than 18.5 and you're believed to be overweight.

A BMI lies somewhere between 18.5 and 24.9 - you are believed to be within a healthy weight range.

It is a sign that your BMI ranges within 25.0 to 29.9- you are considered to be overweight.

Your BMI is higher than 30 - you are considered to be overweight.

My BMI is too high, what can I do to lose weight?

An ideal starting point to set is losing 10% per cent of your body weight. Even if that's not enough to move you into a healthy weight range, it's a great starting point if you're overweight according to research that shows it's enough to have health benefits such as reducing risk factors for heart disease. The WW program guides members to set realistic weight loss goals and provides the skills and techniques to help you to achieve them.

Are BMI more crucial for men or women?

The same BMI measurements are applicable to both genders as the risk of developing an illness related to weight are applicable for both men and women.

Research has found a connection between having more BMI and a higher likelihood of developing several illnesses, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes osteoarthritis and certain types of cancer , like breast cancer.

Is BMI 100% true?

This isn't always true for all people. It's not able to distinguish between fat and muscle which is why people who have an impressive muscle mass often have a high BMI even though their body fat is in the healthy range. Plus, a healthy BMI doesn't always correlate with good health. Research shows that three out of three with healthy BMIs are comparatively unhealthy after other test results, like blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol are taken into account.

One explanation is that BMI does not reflect where the body's fats are stored, so it's possible for you to have a healthy BMI however, carrying excessive fat around your waist, which poses more of a health risk than weight around your thighs and hips. A 2017 study confirmed that fact, revealing that those with excess weight in their middle but having healthy BMIs face greatest risk of being killed from any cause, when compared to people with higher BMIs who are carrying the weight elsewhere.

"If I had to choose between making sure my BMI or my waist-to-hip ratio are within the 'normal' range, I would go for the latter," says the University of Sydney's Associate Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, who co-led the study. "A high waist-to-hip ratio most likely means high amounts of abdominal fat, and we know this comes with quite serious health risks."

Do I need to calculate my BMI?

Yes that's the case, says Dr Michelle Celander, WW program and Director of Science. "BMI provides a snapshot of how weight influences the risk of medical problems for people in a particular group and, while it might not be an accurate indicator of risk to medical for every person, it's helpful as feedback for you.

"But, while it is a good idea to calculate and know what your BMI is, no one piece of feedback about your weight or health should be viewed in isolation, so it's really important to consider your BMI in context of other information and measurements."

What are other measures that are relevant?

There are two you should take:

A) Your waist-to-hip ratio:
Divide your waist measurement (in centimetres) by your hip measurement (in centimetres). A waist-to-hip ratio greater than 0.9 for males or 0.85 for women indicates an increased risk to health.

B) Your waist-to-height ratio
Your waist measurement is divided (in centimetres) by your height (in centimetres). To maintain your health, research has shown that keeping your waist circumference at less than half of your height or a ratio of no more than 0.5 should be considered a wise choice.