BMI is a method used to determine if someone is at a healthy weight by calculating body fat based on height and weight. High BMI is associated with diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Regular checkups, physical activity, and lifestyle modifications can improve health.
Body mass index, or BMI, is the method medical professionals use to determine if someone is at a healthy weight. The body mass index takes into account a person’s height and weight to determine levels of body fat. BMI is generally used for people over the age of 20, children and adolescents require a different formula to determine if they are at a healthy weight.
The body mass index is an indicator of some types of diseases. High BMI is often associated with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, some forms of cancer, and sleep apnea. While BMI is an accurate indicator of your risk for obesity-related diseases, genetics and lifestyle also have an effect on these conditions. Health professionals use blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, as well as family history when determining if someone is at risk for a particular disease.
Body mass is determined using the mathematical calculation of weight in pounds multiplied by 703, divided by height in inches, squared. For people who feel comfortable working with metric measurements, the calculation is simpler, weight (Kg), divided by height (M.), squared. There are also many online BMI calculators available.
Body mass index calculations provide an objective assessment of weight. People with a BMI less than 18.5 are underweight, those with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 are in the healthy range, people with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are overweight, and those with a BMI of 30 or more are obese.
While people at either end of the BMI scale, who are underweight or overweight, are at the highest risk of developing health-related complications, people who are within healthy weight guidelines, who do not exercise, eat badly or smoke cigarettes are also at a higher risk of developing health-related conditions. Similarly, there are things that a person with a high BMI can do to improve their health and reduce their risk of developing disease. Regular checkups to control blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels are beneficial. Physical activity, whether through a structured exercise program or through lifestyle modifications such as walking, also improves health, even if weight remains the same.
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