The Ultimate Guide to BMI

Body Mass Index (BMI), allows one to understand where you lie in the health chart: ranging from being underweight, healthy weight, overweight, to obesity. BMI is easily calculated using a mathematical formula of weight over height. Here is the ultimate guide to BMI.

Range of BMIs

Want to know whether you are in the healthy weight range with an indication of BMI? Here’s the usual BMI for adults where a BMI of,

• <18.5 is Underweight,

• 18.5 to <25 is Healthy weight, 

• 25.0 to <30 is Overweight, and

• >30.0 is Obese.

Where do you lie in the range of BMIs? 

Should You Be Excessively Worried if your BMI is not in the Healthy Weight Range?

The answer is, no! BMI is just an estimate of one’s body weight, and it does not take into consideration factors like cholesterol, blood sugar, heart rate, blood pressure, and many other factors including age. However, it is always better to be safe than sorry to go to the doctor and have an annual body check up even if you do lie in the healthy weight range of BMI.

What does my BMI tell me?

If your BMI is lower than the healthy weight range (Underweight), studies have shown that it indicates that you may suffer from a higher risk of early death. 

A BMI higher than the healthy weight range (Overweight or Obese), studies have also shown you are more likely to suffer from a higher chance of dying from way more diseases. This results in losing many more years of your life, which isn’t worth it. Hence, even though BMI is just an estimate of your body’s fat, it still shows that there is a likelihood of developing more health problems that you are more prone to now that your BMI is not in the healthy range. Now, if your BMI is within the healthy weight range, congratulations! Additionally, please do not neglect your health still, even if your BMI is within the healthy weight range.

Disadvantages to BMI

When someone encounters a BMI that is not within the healthy weight range, people who are extremely self-conscious may develop self-esteem issues where they may be embarrassed to seek help from a professional just because of what their BMI labels them as. They may be afraid to be mocked or judged based on their BMI, resulting in having their health complications worsen even more than it should have been. Even if BMI is just an estimate of their health, it may worsen their mental health too. However, do not be afraid, as professionals are here to help you and not harm you.