BMI Guide: Calculate Healthy Body Mass Index by Age and Gender

Body Mass Index (BMI) serves as a key indicator of cardiovascular health and general wellness. Learn how to calculate BMI for athletes, children, and amputees, and understand what your results mean.

Woman complaining to mature doctor

The Disadvantages of BMI

The body mass index, or BMI, is commonly used in doctors' offices as a way to estimate your body fat level. It provides a quick and easy way to evaluate obesity trends in the general population, but the equation can overestimate or underestimate body fat levels in many people.

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How to Calculate BMI for Athletes

Body mass index measures if you have a healthy level of fatness using an equation that involves the relationship of your height to your weight. Although body mass index, or BMI, is a good measure for much of the population, it's not infallible.

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Stethoscope and calculator

Ways to Calculate BMI

When you go for a checkup, your doctor may measure your height and weight to determine your BMI -- or body mass index. This gives him an idea of your body's level of fatness and whether you're at a healthy size.

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BMI With Frame Size

Body mass index is the ratio of your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared. BMI provides an estimation of your body fat level, but is in no way diagnostic. It helps healthcare providers evaluate whether you may be at risk of chronic disease due to carrying excess fat.

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Young woman flexing bicep in gym, close-up, side view

Arm Circumference & BMI Comparison

When you can't determine the height of a patient, upper arm circumference can help calculate his body mass index. Body mass index, or BMI, gives a caregiver an estimation of a patient's body fat level.

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Handsome muscular young man in gym

How to Calculate BMI for a Bodybuilder

Many medical providers use body mass index, or BMI, to assess your weight and health risk. BMI is a calculation of a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters. A BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight, 18.5 to 24.9 is normal, 25 to 29.9 is overweight and 30 or above is obese.

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Woman measuring her waist

Problems With BMI

The body mass index uses your height and weight to estimate the level of fatness in your body. For much of the population, it's a fair enough gauge as well as simple to apply and noninvasive to perform. A BMI higher than 25 indicates that you're overweight, and when it's over 30, it indicates obesity.

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Young woman standing on weight scale

Scales That Measure BMI

Your body mass index, or BMI, represents an estimation of your body fat. BMI scales weigh you, just like any other scale, and ask you to input your height. The scale then performs a calculation that computes your BMI.

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Body mass index, BMI

What to Do When Your BMI Is Low

Your body mass index, or BMI, is calculated using your height and weight to help your doctor estimate the amount of fat on your body. If your BMI dips below 20, he may show concern that you're underweight, and if it's below 18.5, he may diagnose you as severely underweight.

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