The body mass index was developed in the 1800’s and has been widely used after World War 2 when it was used to link body weight with cardiovascular disease. Not only that but the fact that there are many different indices and formulas for these methods, it makes comparing them more difficult as well. Since each and every health index has its limitations, the BMI is still used because it is the broadest and by far simplest index to calculate: just weight divided by height squared.Įven though different health indices exist such as Body Fat Percentage that are more accurate in predicting whether a certain person has a healthy body weight or not, the problem with those is that they require slightly more effort in obtaining the appropriate measurements for each individual. These same limitations still arise in many different health indices and frankly will always have limitations, to different degrees, because for the simple reason that every person is different and thus no single index can comprise all people. Why is the BMI still used?ĭespite all the downfalls and limitations shown above that come with the body mass index, ironically those same limitations play a role in why it is still widely used. This means that for bodybuilders and very fit people, sometimes it’s better being "overweight" because to them the BMI is stating they are heavier than "normal" people, which is in fact the goal most bodybuilders want to obtain. One last thing to remember is that the "overweight", "underweight" readings shown in this BMI Calculator are relative to a pre-defined average "normal" body weight. Thus it is important to take all this into account when trying to understand your BMI reading and also speak with a doctor or nutritionist before undergoing any new fitness routine or diet. In reality, the "normal" body weights for people vary from age, gender, and population.Having high muscle mass can result in a higher BMI because muscle is more dense than fat and thus for the same height someone with a lot of muscle can weigh as much as someone with high body fat.Even though taller people tend to be thinner on average, their larger bone mass usually skews their BMI to slightly larger values.The "normal" proportion is used for all heights and weights even though not everyone has the same body type.Several issues arise with this method and those are listed below: Basically the BMI assumes a "normal" body weight for men and women of average height and average fitness or activity level. ![]() Also see safeguards for BMI measurement in schools.It is important to note that the Body Mass Index is to be used as a general tool for determining a healthy body weight. ![]() School staff, child care leaders, and other professionals can use this spreadsheet to compute BMI for as many as 2,000 children. Use this calculator for children and teens, aged 2 through 19 years old. This calculator provides BMI and the corresponding BMI-for-age percentile on a CDC BMI-for-age growth chart. CDC Child and Teen BMI Calculator WidgetĪdd this widget to your website. ![]() Use this calculator for adults, 20 years old and older. This calculator provides BMI and the corresponding weight category. It is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people. Adult Body Mass Index Calculator WidgetĪdd this widget to your website to let anyone calculate their BMI.Information about BMI and interpreting the BMI percentile for children and teens. Information about BMI and interpreting this number for adults. How Do I Interpret Body Mass Index Information? BMI screens for weight categories that may lead to health problems, but it does not diagnose the body fatness or health of an individual. A high BMI can indicate high body fatness. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms (or pounds) divided by the square of height in meters (or feet).
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