Body Mass Index (BMI), the simplest ‘height-weight’ index, is a predictor of obesity-related morbidity and mortality in population studies.
It was proposed as a measure of body shape by the Belgian anthropologist Adolphe Quetelet in the late 19th century.
Current guidelines use BMI, calculated as the weight in kg divided by the square of height in meters, to classify the degree of obesity.
The guidelines of the United States National Instituted of Health use the following BMI classification: Body Mass Index between 18.5 and 25 is ideal. People with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are overweight and BMI greater than 30 indicates obesity.
A BMI of 30 or above increases the chances of serious health risks such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Body Mass Index correlates reasonably well with body fatness and health risks.
Although knowing BMI will tell more about overall health risks than weight tables will, it still doesn’t tell enough about whether the persons carrying muscle weight of excess fat.
BMI or Body Mass Index
