
Do You Have A Healthy Body Mass Index?
Table of Contents
Body Mass Index is a term that is very commonly thrown around when it comes to having an ideal body weight. So without wasting any time, let’s get down to the basics of Body Mass Index (BMI).
What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?
According to Wikipedia, the body mass index (BMI) (also known as Quetelet index) is a value derived from the mass (weight) and height of an individual. The BMI is an attempt to quantify the amount of tissue mass (muscle, fat, and bone) in an individual, and then categorize that person as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese based on that value.
How can one find out the Body Mass Index (BMI)?
Weight (in pounds) x 703/ Height (in inches)²
How can a person be categorized on the basis of BMI?
Very severely underweight- < 15
Severely underweight- 15 to 16
Underweight- 16 to 18.5
Normal (healthy weight)- 18.5 to 25
Overweight- 25- 30
Obese Class I (Moderately obese)- 30 to 35
Obese Class II (Severely obese)- 35 to 40
Obese Class III (Very severely obese)- 40 to 45
Obese Class IV (Morbidly Obese)- 45 to 50
Obese Class V (Super Obese)- 50 to 60
Obese Class VI (Hyper Obese)- >60
Having a BMI of 18.5- 25 is considered as healthy.
What are the benefits of having a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI)?
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Reduces the risk of various diseases like heart disease, stroke, various forms of cancer and non-insulin dependent diseases.
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Reduces the risk of obesity-related diseases.
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Research suggests that maintaining a healthy body weight also increases mortality.
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