What is body mass index (BMI)?
BMI is just one way to look at our overall health
BMI is a screening tool based on height and weight that helps health care professionals evaluate weight categories that may lead to health problems in their patients. BMI is calculated by taking the person's weight in kilograms and dividing it by the square of their height in meters (kg/m2).
BMI categories include:
Underweight (BMI of 18.5 kg/m2 or less)
Normal Weight (BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg/m2)
Overweight (BMI of 25-29.9 kg/m2)
Obesity (BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater)
Another measurement health care professionals may use to start the conversation about weight is waist circumference, which is considered by some experts to be an important measurement when evaluating the health of certain patients.
How is BMI used?
BMI is a screening tool used by health care professionals to evaluate a patient’s weight category. It’s simply a comparison of a person’s height and weight, and while BMI is not the only measurement out there, it's one way a health care professional will evaluate your health.
Your BMI will be one tool your health care professional uses to diagnose whether you are living with obesity and to determine what treatment options may help you reduce your weight.
Calculating BMI
Know your BMI before your next appointment as a starting point when talking about weight management with a health care professional.
Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, so BMI may not always be an accurate measure of overall health
- On average, women have more body fat compared with men with a similar BMI
- People with a muscular build, such as athletes or bodybuilders, may have a higher BMI even though they may be healthy overall
- As people get older, they naturally lose muscle definition and tend to have more body fat, which may affect their BMI
TrueWeight® Report
Ask your health care professional about your BMI and what it means for your weight and health. Complete the TrueWeight® Report to record your weight history and goals for the future, so you’re prepared for the conversation.
