BMI compares your weight to your height, and is calculated by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by your height (in metres squared). It gives you an idea of whether you’re 'underweight', a 'healthy' weight, 'overweight', or 'obese' for your height. BMI is one type of tool to help health professionals assess the risk for chronic disease.
An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 as overweight - an adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese - a BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight, and between 18.5 to 24.9 a healthy weight.
Don’t take BMI too literally, it’s a scale used for general population, of course abnormalities often fall into the wrong categories. Take any muscular athlete, they can often fall into the overweight or even obese category, a long distance endurance athletes can fall into the under weight category. These individuals of course are not overweight or under weight and may well be the fitness and healthiest amongst us. The BMI calculation is designed for general population not an individual specifically. For this reason health professionals can also be know to measure waist circumference, as waist measurement helps to assess risk by measuring the amount of fat carried around your middle.
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