BMI 101: What You Need to Know About Body Mass Index and How to Calculate It

BMI 101: What You Need to Know About Body Mass Index and How to Calculate It

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BMI 101: What You Need to Know About Body Mass Index and Health

Being healthy is becoming more and more important for people of all ages. But how do you know if you’re healthy? The answer is with the help of the Body Mass Index (BMI). Knowing your BMI can help you understand your overall health and work towards improving it. In this article, we’ll look into what BMI is and how to calculate it, and examine the potential health implications.

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What Is BMI?

BMI stands for Body Mass Index and is a number calculated using your height and weight. It’s used to understand health risks related to body weight and an indicator of whether you have an appropriate weight for your height. Generally, the higher the BMI, the more likely it is that you’re carrying excess weight.

How to Calculate BMI

Calculating BMI is easy. All you need is your weight in kilograms and your height in metres. The calculation is your weight (in kilograms) divided by your height (in metres) raised to the power of 2 – (W/H2).

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For example, if your weight is 76 kilograms and your height is 1.65 metres, your BMI would be 76 / 2.7225, which is 27.8. The higher your BMI is, the greater your health risks.

BMI Range Categories And Health Implications

BMI range categories are determined by looking at different BMI numbers and identifying a healthy weight range and one that is underweight or overweight.

  • Below 18.5 – Underweight

  • 18.5 to 24.9 – Healthy Range

  • 25 to 29.9 – Overweight

  • 30 and above – Obese

Being in the healthy weight range does not guarantee good health. It is important to pay attention to other factors such as diet and exercise and how they influence your overall health.

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However, if you’re in the overweight or obese category, you should pay more attention to your diet and exercise habits, as you are more likely to be at risk of developing medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Conclusion

The Body Mass Index is a good indicator of your health. It’s important to calculate your BMI and work to reach a healthy weight range. While reaching a healthy weight does not guarantee good health, it will likely reduce your risk for medical conditions associated with being overweight or obese.