How do I know my BMI?
Body Mass Index or BMI is a test that tells us how our weight is, that is, if it’s below the normal range, normal, of if we’re overweight or obese.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated by dividing weight (in kilograms) by the square of height in meters (kg/m2). If you know your weight in pounds and height in inches, you may convert pounds into kilos and inches into meters.
To find your BMI you need to use the following formula:
BMI = weight in kg/height in m2
For example, if a person weighs 74 Kilos and is 1.75 meters tall, his or her BMI is 24.2**
** To better understand this formula, let’s see the mathematical operation used in this example:
1.75 squared = 1.75×1.75
1.75×1.75 = 3.06
Height squared = 3.06
74 (weight) /3.06 (height in m2) = 24.2
24.2 is a weight percentile that is considered normal based on the table which states weight prevalence based on Body Mass Index or BMI.
People need to stay within the 20-25 parameter, as this means they’re within the normal weight range. This will allow us keep all the health problems caused by excess weight and obesity away.
Weight classification based on BMI
The Body Mass Index or BMI is a useful tool many physicians and other health professionals use to classify weight prevalence as follows:
Body Mass Index (BMI)
| Result | Weight Prevalence |
| Less than 18.5 | Weight below normal |
| 18.5-25 | Normal Weight |
| 25-30 | Overweight |
| 30-35 | Obesity |
| More than 35 | Severe or morbid obesity |
The greater the excess weight a person has, the greater their risk of developing several health problems such as Type 2 Diabetes, Atherosclerosis, Colon Cancer, Hypertension and Hypercholesterolemia is. With every 10% of excess weight, our risk factor of developing Type 2 Diabetes doubles, which means that while overweight people do have risk factors for developing these health problems, obese people are at more risk and people with morbid obesity at even more.
