BMI Calculator

Understanding your BMI

Calculating your BMIusing the Body Mass Index calculatoror manually is just the beginning, but understanding that it is the next step. To provide you with more information, here are the categories your physical health condition could be classified into depending on your BMI -

• In case your BMI is below 18.5 -

Your physical health problem would be classified as underweight in respect to others with the same gender, age and height.

• If your BMI is greater than 18.5 and < 24.9

Your physical health condition could be classified as healthy in relation to the individuals with the same gender, age and height.

• If your BMI exceeds 25 but 29.9

Your physical health issue could be classified as being overweight in relation to the individuals who are of the same gender, age, and height as you.

• If you're BMI is > 30

Your health condition could be classified as being obese with respect to people who are the same gender, age and height as you. Persons whose condition is categorized as underweight or overweight are generally thought to be more susceptible to developing health problems.

Which is your ideal BMIfor men and women?

The body mass index (BMI) is the measurement of one's weight in relation to size, so gender doesn't play a very vital role in determining whether you are overweight, obese, or a healthy individual. To help you understand better what it means, here's an illustration one man and a woman who both have 5'7 inches of height" with a weight of 81 pounds will both have a physical status classified as overweight regardless of gender.

What is the reason why the cost in your health insurance more expensive if your weight is low?

Understanding your BMI

Calculating your BMI using the Body Mass Index calculator or manually is only one step, understanding it is the next. To provide you with more information, here are the categories your physical health condition could be classified in as per your BMI --

• In case your BMI < 18.5 -

Your physical health condition would be classified as having a low weight with respect to those who are of the same gender, age, and height as you.

• In case your BMI is greater than 18.5 and < 24.9

Your physical health situation would be categorized as healthy in respect to others with the same age, gender and height.

• You're BMI is greater than 25 but < 29.9

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

• If your BMI is greater than 30

Your physical condition will be classified as obese in relation to the individuals that are the same age, gender and height. Individuals whose physical health condition is classified as either underweight or obese are generally considered to be the most vulnerable to health diseases.

What is the best BMI for men and women?

BMI Ranges

If you are aware of your BMI determine where you sit in your BMI of the range listed below.

If your HTML0 BMI is less than 18.5 If your BMI is less than 18.5 - you're believed to be in the category of being overweight.

The BMI is somewhere between 18.5 to 24.9 - you are considered to be within the good weight category.

Your BMI will be anywhere between 25.0 to 29.9- you are considered to be overweight.

Your BMI is over 30 and you are considered to be overweight.

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

An ideal first goal to strive for is to lose 10% from your weight. Although that's probably not enough to propel you towards a healthy weight it's an excellent 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 be focused on realistic weight loss objectives and gives you the knowledge and strategies to help to achieve them.

Is BMI more important for women or men?

The identical BMI measurements apply to both genders , as the same risks of developing a health condition related to weight is applicable to both genders.

Research has proven the connection between having a higher BMI and an increased risk of several illnesses, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes osteoarthritis as well as certain kinds of cancer including breast cancer.

Is BMI 100% accurate?

This isn't always true for everybody. It's not able to distinguish between muscle and fat and therefore, people with massive muscle mass usually have a high BMI even that their body fat level is within the healthy range. Also, a healthy BMI isn't always a sign of good health. Studies show that one in three people with healthy BMIs are considered to be unhealthy when other test results including blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol are taken into consideration.

One reason could be that BMI doesn't accurately reflect where your body fat is stored and it's possible to maintain healthy BMI yet carry excess fat around your waist, a location that has a higher health risk than weight carried on your thighs and hips. A 2017 study has proved that issue, concluding that those who carry weight around their middle but having healthy BMIs face the highest risk of dying from any cause, in comparison to those who have higher BMIs and carry the additional 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 have to bother with calculating my BMI?

Yes it is, according to Dr. Michelle Celander, WW program and Science Director. "BMI gives a glimpse of the way weight affects the risk of health problems for a population of people, so while it may not be an accurate indicator of the risk to health for each individual, it's still very valuable 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 other measurement is important?

There are two steps you need to consider:

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 men or 0.85 for women suggests an increased risk of health.

B) Your waist-to-height ratio
Your waist measurement is divided (in centimetres) by your height (in centimetres). To maintain your health, research suggests that you should keep your waist circumference to less than half your height - or a ratio that is not more than 0.5 is the best option.