BMI, or body mass index, is significant in assessing risks associated with being overweight and obesity. The World Health Organization provides its criteria.
What Is BMI or Body Mass Index?
The BMI is a statistical tool used initially for epidemiological studies on obesity. Over time, it has become a universally recognized value and a simple tool that can provide helpful information about health status.
It is essential to point out that BMI does not give complete and truthful indications about the physical state of any individual because it does not show how body fat is distributed throughout the body and does not distinguish between fatty and lean body mass.
An athlete, for example, might have a very high BMI due to developed muscle mass and not excess fat tissue, while a woman with a standard or low BMI might not have sufficient muscle mass.
How to Calculate BMI?
BMI is a numerical value produced by a simple calculation and relates to a person’s weight and height.
The formula for calculating is: BMI = weight (in kg) / height2 (in meters)
Ideal BMI values differ slightly between men and women and can also vary depending on different factors, such as age.
What Are the Standard BMI Values?
The ratio of weight to height squared will yield a numerical value. Depending on the result, we can thus roughly calculate a person’s BMI:
Less than 18.5 = underweight
18.5 – 24.9 = normal weight
25 – 29.9 = overweight
30 and over – obesity
40 and over = extreme obesity
What Is the Waistline?
Another value that can be useful in analyzing one’s physical status is waist circumference.
Waist circumference should be measured at a point corresponding to half the distance between the last rib and the anterior superior iliac spine, usually at belly button level.
The waist circumference measurement is crucial as it correlates so much with the risk of developing chronic degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular (heart attack, hypertension), metabolic (diabetes), and even oncological diseases.
An accumulation of fat on the abdomen is a symptom of an increased risk of heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. A soft tape measure is sufficient to measure the waist.
Waist Values
In women and men, the values are different for obvious reasons. Weight and height, in any case, should still be taken into account.
In women, a correct waist does not exceed 80 cm. If the waist ranges between 81 and 87 cm, one should start doing something to reduce it. If it exceeds 88 cm, the result is hazardous and should be decreased immediately
In men, the correct waist does not exceed 94 centimeters; it becomes dangerous between 95 and 101 cm and then extremely dangerous.
BMI and Obesity
The body mass index, although helpful in getting a general idea of one’s health status, is an incomplete figure that does not provide an unambiguous indication of the diagnosis of obesity.
The physician will assist their patients through the diagnosis and treatment process.
