Bmi – what is it and how to calculate body mass index?

Bmi – what can it say about your health?

Body Mass Index, or BMI, is one of the most popular tools for assessing body weight and determining whether our weight is normal. This is a simple indicator that is based on a person’s height and weight. BMI is calculated according to the following formula:

BMI = body weight (kg) / (height (m) * height (m))

The result of this calculation allows you to place a person in one of several categories: underweight, normal weight, overweight, first degree obesity, second degree obesity or third degree obesity. Here are these categories and their corresponding BMI values:

• Underweight: BMI below 18.5
• Normal weight: BMI 18.5 – 24.9
• Overweight: BMI 25.0 – 29.9
• Obesity class I: BMI 30.0 – 34.9
• Obesity II degree: BMI 35.0 – 39.9
• Obesity class III (extreme obesity): BMI over 40.0

It is worth noting that BMI is used as an indicative tool that can help identify the risk of being overweight or underweight. However, there are some limitations and criticisms of this indicator.

What should you pay attention to when interpreting your bmi result?

When interpreting the BMI result, it is worth remembering several important issues:

1. Failure to take body composition into account: BMI does not take into account the ratio between fat mass and muscle mass. Therefore, a person with a lot of muscle may have a higher BMI score, which does not necessarily mean he is overweight.
2. Does not take age and gender into account: BMI does not take into account age and gender differences in weight. Women and men may have different caloric needs.
3. Not suitable for children and adolescents: BMI is less accurate for children and adolescents because their bodies are growing and changing dynamically.
4. Failure to take into account the location of fat tissue: Some research suggests that fat stored around the belly may be more risky to health than fat on other parts of the body, which BMI does not take into account.

What to use instead of bmi?

Despite the popularity of BMI, there are more advanced and precise methods of assessing body weight and the risk of being overweight. Here are some alternative approaches:

1. Body composition analysis: Uses technologies such as bioimpedance and densitometry to accurately measure the percentage of fat, muscle and other tissue in the body.
2. Waist to hip circumference (WHR): Helps determine whether fat is more concentrated around the belly area, which may be associated with greater health risks.
3. Body fat analysis: Uses sophisticated tests, such as MRI or CT scans, to accurately assess the amount of fat in the body.

Your suggestions

When assessing your weight, it is a good idea to consult your doctor or nutritionist. They will be able to more accurately assess your health condition and propose appropriate actions.

Recommended articles

If you are interested in the topic of body weight, nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, we recommend reading the following articles:

• “How to maintain a healthy diet and maintain appropriate body weight?”
• “The role of physical activity in maintaining a healthy weight and fitness”
• “Obesity and the risk of heart disease and diabetes – what is worth knowing?”

Remember that a healthy diet, regular physical activity and maintaining proper body weight are key to maintaining good condition and preventing many diseases. BMI can be one tool, but it should not be the only indicator of health.