What is BMI (BMI calculator)

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a value derived from a formula that uses the weight and height of a person. In the formula, the body mass or weight is divided by the square of the height. It is expressed in units of kg/m2, which includes mass in kilograms and height in meters. Our BMI calculator will help you to calculate BMI.

BMI can indicate whether a person is underweight, healthy or overweight. There is a full chart with some ranges which shows the status of the person's health. The ranges represent the result of the BMI calculator's value. The BMI can only be calculated of adults, i.e. the person should be 18 years of age or more.

How to Calculate BMI?

In our BMI calculator, you can easily enter your particulars and it will give you an exact indication of your BMI index and will also give you a written status of your health according to the BMI chart. You can calculate the BMI index regardless of gender.

Different types of calculators may take values in a different form like some take height in inches, some in feet, some in centimeters, but they convert it into meters first and then calculate the BMI. In this BMI calculator, you just need to enter your height in Centimeters and your actual weight in Kilograms and click on the Calculate BMI button.

Overweight health risks

• High blood pressure
• An increas in LDL cholesterol, also known as "bad cholesterol," Decreases in HDL cholesterol, also known as "good cholesterol" in moderation. Both of these symptoms are bad for health.
• Risk of type II diabetes.
• Risks of heart diseases.
• Increases risks of Strokes.
• It weakens joints and can lead to Osteoarthritis.
• It decreases the confidence of the person which leads to a low quality of life
• People suffering from obesity can go to depression and many other mental problems.

Underweight health risks

• It can lead to vitamin deficiencies which cause severe bad effects in the body.
• It weakens the bones which can result in Osteoporosis.
• The Immunity of the person from diseases is compromised.
• It can hinder the growth of the individual.
• A person can have anemic diseases.

As you have seen in both cases i.e., being underweight and overweight, there are many complications. A person should be within the range of 18.5 to 25. If you are in any of the unhealthy categories then you should take extra care of your health and should consult a doctor. Being healthy can help us achieve our goals in life quicker than being unhealthy. Take care of yourself.

Limitations of BMI

Although BMI (BMI Chart) is a widely used indicator for health, it does have some limitations also. The Different person at different ages can have a variety of body types and it does not cover that. It helps get an idea of the Health of an individual. It should not be the only criteria, it can be added with other tests and calculation. Let's see it a bit deeper:

In adults:

BMI is not 100% accurate because it does not measure the excess of body fat but body weight. For example, a person living in an inactive life especially old age people can have excess fat within their body without being heavy, it is unhealthy but with the same BMI, a young person with higher muscle composition and less fat would be considered healthy. So, as you can see, the results are changing according to the age, this is a kind of limitation in BMI calculation. Generally, according to the CDC(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention):

• Older adults tend to have more body fat than younger adults with the same BMI.
• Women tend to have more body fat than men for an equivalent BMI.
• Muscular individuals and highly trained athletes may have higher BMIs due to large muscle mass.

Although even with its limitations, BMI is fairly indicative of the health of an individual and it can be used to get an idea and act accordingly.

How To Use The BMI Formula ?

BMI Formula 1: (KG)

This BMI formula uses weight in kilograms and height in meters.

Example: In this example the with a height of 170 cm and a weight of 75 kg. The first step needs to convert the height (170 cm) into meters. As we know there is 100 cm in a meter so, we divide height (170 cm) by 100. This gives us 1.7 m.

Let's try this BMI formula:

BMI Formula 2: (lsb)

This Formula uses units of pounds and height in inches.

Example: In this example the adult with a height of 5ft 11 inches and a weight of 160 pounds (lbs). The first step is to convert the height(5.11) into inches only. As we know there are 12 inches in a foot, so we simply multiply the 5ft by 12 and then add the 11 inches. This gives us a total of 71 inches.

Let's plug those figures into our formula: