Body Mass Index: Explanation & Handy BMI Chart

Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is an objective standard that is becoming the measurement of choice for most health care professionals.  It is basically the relationship between your height and weight.

Although Body Mass Index does not directly measure percent of body fat, higher BMIs are usually associated with an increase in body fat and   the potential health risks of excess weight. Higher BMIs are an indication of preventable risk just like high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.

There are some drawbacks to using this index as a measurement of  obesity.  The BMI makes no distinction between fat and muscle mass. The BMI:

1. Is not a direct measure of body fatness.

2. Does not measure lean muscle mass.

3.  Does not show the location of body fat distribution.

4. Does not differentiate between people with small frames and people with large frames. People with stockier builds may be considered overweight without having a lot of body fat. People with small frames may be considered a healthy weight when they actually have an unhealthy level of  body fat.

Therefore, BMI is not recommended for use as the sole measurement of either body composition or level of fitness.

That said, the federal government announced guidelines which create a new definition of unhealthy weight: Those individuals with a BMI range of 25 or more with a waist size of over 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women, are considered to be at high risk for health problems–generally, the higher the BMI and the larger the waist measurement, the greater the health risks.

How did Americans get so “hefty?” In my opinion,  lifestyle, fast/processed food, snacks, and government subsidies. Food is bargain-priced, plentiful, processed, and mostly unhealthy. I believe our corner eateries, school lunches, and food industries make up a junk food delivery system that is unsurpassed in the world, often serving food that is cheap because it is subsidized by the federal government.

Add a lifestyle that seems to include less and less exercise every year–and–we get fat!

One variable BMI fails to consider, however,  is lean body mass. It is possible for a healthy, muscular individual with very low body fat to be classified obese using the BMI formula. If this describes you, ignore the Body-Mass Index.

 

BMI1920212223242526272829303132333435
Body Weight (pounds)
589196100105110115119124129134138143148153158162167
599499104109114119124128133138143148153158163168173
6097102107112118123128133138143148153158163168174179
61100106111116122127132137143148153158164169174180185
62104109115120126131136142147153158164169175180186191
63107113118124130135141146152158163169175180186191197
64110116122128134140145151157163169174180186192197204
65114120126132138144150156162168174180186192198204210
66118124130136142148155161167173179186192198204210216
67121127134140146153159166172178185191198204211217223
68125131138144151158164171177184190197203210216223230
69128135142149155162169176182189196203209216223230236
70132139146153160167174181188195202209216222229236243
71136143150157165172179186193200208215222229236243250
72140147154162169177184191199206213221228235242250258
73144151159166174182189197204212219227235242250257265
74148155163171179186194202210218225233241249256264272
75152160168176184192200208216224232240248256264272279
76156164172180189197205213221230238246254263271279287

 

Source: Food Standards Agency

Below 20: You are considered underweight and may have immunity problems.

20 through 24: A BMI between 20 and 22  indicates a healthy amount of body fat and is associated with a long life and with less serious illness. In fact, through 24 is generally considered satisfactory and indicitive of continued good health.

25 through 30: You are considered overweight and thought to be at increased risk for a variety of illnesses. Time to lose weight by changing your diet and exercising more.

Over 30: This indicates an unhealthy weight where you are at risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, gall bladder disease, and some cancers. You should definitely lose weight by changing your diet and exercising more.

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