What is BMI?

The BMI calculator is used to calculate your body index using weight and height. Belgian sociologist and statistician Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet devised the concert of BMI in the 1830s based on social psychology. Later, when you calculate your BMI, you can figure out whether you need to work on your body whether you need to lose weight or gain weight. Also, people who have a problem with being overweight and underweight are most often subject to weight bias and stigma from other people, which can lead to low self-esteem, shame, or guilt, which can cause many psychological and physiological problems.

Normal BMI

BMI is used to show us how much our weight is greater than actually normal weight for our height. Nominal BMI extends between 18.5 and 25.

The World Health Organization (WHO) considers that a person with a BMI less than 18.5 is underweight. It may indicate that the person has eating problems, malnutrition, decreased immune function, fertility issues caused by irregular menstrual cycles, fertility issues caused by irregular menstrual cycles.

A person is considered overweight when the BMI is between 25 and 30.

A person over 30 is considered obese and has a higher chance of some more severe diseases that come with obesity.

Some of the problems that obese people can have are the following: heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, some cancers, gallbladder disease and gallstones, osteoarthritis, and many others.

BMI formula

This is formula for both the Kilograms and meters (or centimeters) and Pounds and inches:

\Large BMI = \frac{mass_{kg}}{height_{m}^2} = \frac{mass_{lb}}{height_{in}^2} \times 703

How to calculate BMI?

We calculate the BMI with weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared with the metric system.

Example: Weight: 78kg, Height = 175 cm (1.75m)

Calculation: \large\frac{78_{kg}}{1.75_{cm}^2}= 25.5 .

The second formula in which we use for the weight (lb) and height (in), the following formula is used.

Calculate the BMI by dividing the weight in pounds (lbs) by the height in inches (in) squared and multiplying by 703.

Example: Weight = 155 lbs, Height = 5’5 ″ (65″)

Calculation: \large\frac{155_{lb}}{65_{in}^2} * 703 = 25.8

Body Mass Index ranges

We have four common weight gaps which we use in BMI.

  • Under 18.5 kg / m2  which is underweight;
  • 18.5 tо 25 kg / m2 healthy weight;
  • 25 to 30 kg / m2  overweight
  • and obese оver 30 kg / m2

BMI Calculator for women

In a study by the CDC, an American woman aged 20 and over has an average weight of 170 pounds (lbs) or 77 kg. While these numbers may be the average, they are not a measure of health. One of the commonly used well-being indicators is a person’s BMI, which stands for body mass index. The average Body Mass Index for women in the United States is 29.6, which falls into the “overweight” category. The following is a brief introduction to the BMI range of women using height and weight:

  • 1,47m, 54,4 kg – 25 BMI
  • 1,57m, 54,4 kg – 22 BMI
  • 1,70m, 54,4 kg – 19 BMI
  • 1.47m, 68 kg – 31 BMI
  • 1,57m, 68 kg – 27 BMI
  • 1,70m, 68 kg – 22 BMI
  • 1,82m, 68 kg – 20 BMI

Since women are generally shorter than men (but not in all cases), the Body Mass Index range may be slightly lower than that of men. However, the scope is not that different.

BMI Calculator for men

The average body mass index in men worldwide is:

  • North America: 177.9 pounds – 80.69 kg
  • Oceania, including Australia: 163.4 pounds – 74.11 kg
  • Europe: 156.1 pounds – 70.8 kg
  • Latin America / Caribbean: 149.7 pounds – 67.9 kg
  • Africa: 133.8 pounds – 60.7 kg
  • Asia: 127.2 pound – 57.69 kg

The world average for an adult’s weight is 136.7 pounds (62kg). While the average 20-year-old American weighs 197.9 pounds 89.7 kg, the average waist circumference is 40.2 inches, and the average height is just over 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 meters) tall. The fact is that men are less prone to gaining fat compared to women, who gain fat more efficiently. In 2008, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended a maximum waist to hip ratio of 0.90 for men. Ratios of 1.0 put men at high risk for health problems.

What are the health consequences of obesity for adults?

Adults who have obesity are more likely to have those heavy conditions:

  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides (dyslipidemia)
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Coronary heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Risk of Heart problems
  • Low quality of life
  • Mental illness such as clinical depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders
  • Body pain and difficulty with physical functioning

BMI Calculator for kids

As already mentioned, adults calculate their Body Mass Index using body weight and height. But since children and teenagers are still growing and developing, their BMIs are plotted on a graph as percentiles. Each value is referred to as the BMI percentile.

The CDC suggested that children use this type of measurement from 2 to 20 years of age. Your child’s pediatrician is calculating his BMI every time he goes to him. After that, he is entered into statistics and graphs to see how your child develops compared to other children of the same age, height, and sex.

This is how to interpret the results, according to the CDC:

Underweight: less than 5th percentile

Healthy weight: 5th percentile to less than 85th percentile

Overweight: 85th percentile to less than 95th percentile

Obese: equal to or greater than 95th percentile

What Is a Normal and Abnormal Body Mass Index Range for a Child?

A child is considered healthy between the 5th and 85th percentiles.

A child whose BMI goes from the 85th percentile and the 95th percentile is considered overweight. In contrast, children whose percentiles go over 95 (meaning their weight is greater than 95 percent of their peers) are considered obese. Bad habits in children contribute to getting fat faster.

Immediate Health Risks

Children who have obesity are more likely to have those heavy conditions:

  • High blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
  • Increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.
  • Breathing problems, such as asthma and sleep apnea.
  • Joint problems and musculoskeletal discomfort.
  • Fatty liver disease, gallstones, and gastro-esophageal reflux (i.e., heartburn).
  • Heart problems

Childhood obesity is also related to:

  • Psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.
  • Low self-esteem and lower self-reported quality of life.
  • Social problems such as bullying and stigma.

Now that you know your BMI you can visit the ABSI Calculator!