What is Body Mass Index or BMI?
Body Mass Index or BMI is basically a measurement of your body fat that is calculated by taking a person's weight and height into consideration. It helps you to figure out whether you are overweight, underweight, or in the healthy weight range. It is calculated by dividing an adult's body weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared. Here's more about it!
Calculating BMI
If a person weighs 60 kg and has a height of 1.6 meters (approx. 5.2 feet), the BMI would be equal to 60/1.6² = 23.4 (normal BMI).
Here is what our expert says
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a score that is calculated from an individual's height and body weight. It is supposed to reflect the fat content of the body. A high BMI has been associated with several metabolic and chronic health conditions. But reading too much into BMI is prone to errors as it has to be standardized to the race, gender, and age.
BMI categories and what they signify
A BMI between 18.5 to 24.9 is considered an ideal one and signifies that you are in the healthy weight category. If your BMI is below 18.5, then you are in the underweight category. A person who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is in the overweight category. If your BMI is between 30 and 39.9, then you are in the obese range.
Health risks related to high BMI
A high BMI indicates being overweight or obese and can lead to several diseases. Some such health risks include hypertension, cancer, sleep apnea, stroke, type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory issues. Your bones and joints also tend to weaken due to excess weight. Being overweight also affects people mentally as they might face bias in society leading to depression and stress.
Health risks associated with low BMI
Just like high BMI, people who have a low BMI are also at risk of catching diseases. Being underweight means you are malnourished. You can suffer from problems like hair loss, dry skin, irregular menstruation, cardiovascular diseases, poor immune system, osteoporosis, and digestive issues. Therefore, add more nutrition to your diet to gain healthy weight and maintain a normal BMI.
How to maintain a healthy BMI?
Exercising and eating well are the two ways you can maintain a healthy BMI. Moderate-intensity aerobic activity for at least 150 minutes every week is recommended. You can also walk, jog or join a gym. When it comes to diet, overweight or obese people should try to target a calorie deficit. Stay hydrated and have a balanced diet consisting of nutritious fruits and vegetables.
