Main Campus: Chesterfield, MO 63017 | 
Body mass index
BMI; Obesity - body mass index; Obesity - BMI; Overweight - body mass index; Overweight - BMI
Information
A good way to decide if your weight is healthy for your height is to figure out your body mass index (BMI). You and your health care provider can use your BMI to estimate how much body fat you have.
Being obese puts strain on your heart and can lead to serious health problems . These include:
Obese
Obesity means having too much body fat. It is not the same as being overweight, which means weighing too much. A person may be overweight from extr...
Serious health problems
No definition available for this article.
- Arthritis in your knees and hips
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
-
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a problem in which your breathing pauses during sleep. This occurs because of narrowed or blocked airways.
ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article -
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there is a high level of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Type 2 diabetes is the most common f...
ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article - Varicose veins
HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR BMI
Your BMI estimates how much you should weigh based on your height.
There are many websites with calculators that give your BMI when you enter your weight and height.
You can also calculate it yourself:
- Multiply your weight in pounds by 703.
- Divide that answer by your height in inches.
- Divide that answer by your height in inches again.
For example, a woman who weighs 270 pounds (122 kilograms) and is 68 inches (172 centimeters) tall has a BMI of 41.0.
Use the chart below to see what category your BMI falls into, and whether you need to be concerned about your weight.
| BMI | CATEGORY |
|---|---|
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 to 24.9 | Healthy |
| 25.0 to 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30.0 to 39.9 | Obese |
| Over 40 | Extreme or high risk obesity |
BMI is not always the best way to decide whether you need to lose weight. If you have more or less muscle than is normal, your BMI may not be a perfect measure of how much body fat you have:
- Body builders. Because muscle weighs more than fat, people who are very muscular may have a high BMI.
- Elderly. In older adults it is often better to have a BMI between 25 and 27, rather than under 25. If you are older than 65, for example, a slightly higher BMI may help protect you from thinning of the bones (osteoporosis).
- Children. While many children are obese, DO NOT use this BMI calculator for evaluating a child. Talk to your child's provider about the right weight for your child's age.
Providers use a few methods to decide whether you are overweight. Your provider may also take your waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio into consideration.
Your BMI alone can't predict your health risk, but most experts say that a BMI greater than 30 (obesity) is unhealthy. No matter what your BMI is, exercise can help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Remember to always talk to your provider before starting an exercise program.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About adult BMI. CDC.gov. Updated May 15, 2015. www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/index.html . Accessed July 29, 2016.
Gahagan S. Overweight and obesity. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 47.
Jensen MD. Obesity. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine . 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 220.
-
Calculating body frame size - illustration
Body frame size is determined by a person's wrist circumference in relation to his height. For example, a man whose height is over 5' 5" and wrist is 6" would fall into the small-boned category. Determining frame size: To determine the body frame size, measure the wrist with a tape measure and use the following chart to determine whether the person is small, medium, or large boned. Determining frame size: Women: Women: Height under 5'2" Small = wrist size less than 5.5"Medium = wrist size 5.5" to 5.75"Large = wrist size over 5.75"Height 5'2" to 5' 5" Small = wrist size less than 6"Medium = wrist size 6" to 6.25"Large = wrist size over 6.25"Height over 5' 5" Small = wrist size less than 6.25"Medium = wrist size 6.25" to 6.5"Large = wrist size over 6.5" Height under 5'2" Small = wrist size less than 5.5"Medium = wrist size 5.5" to 5.75"Large = wrist size over 5.75" Small = wrist size less than 5.5"Medium = wrist size 5.5" to 5.75"Large = wrist size over 5.75" Small = wrist size less than 5.5" Medium = wrist size 5.5" to 5.75" Large = wrist size over 5.75" Height 5'2" to 5' 5" Small = wrist size less than 6"Medium = wrist size 6" to 6.25"Large = wrist size over 6.25" Small = wrist size less than 6"Medium = wrist size 6" to 6.25"Large = wrist size over 6.25" Small = wrist size less than 6" Medium = wrist size 6" to 6.25" Large = wrist size over 6.25" Height over 5' 5" Small = wrist size less than 6.25"Medium = wrist size 6.25" to 6.5"Large = wrist size over 6.5" Small = wrist size less than 6.25"Medium = wrist size 6.25" to 6.5"Large = wrist size over 6.5" Small = wrist size less than 6.25" Medium = wrist size 6.25" to 6.5" Large = wrist size over 6.5" Men: Men: Height over 5' 5" Small = wrist size 5.5" to 6.5"Medium = wrist size 6.5" to 7.5"Large = wrist size over 7.5" Height over 5' 5" Small = wrist size 5.5" to 6.5"Medium = wrist size 6.5" to 7.5"Large = wrist size over 7.5" Small = wrist size 5.5" to 6.5"Medium = wrist size 6.5" to 7.5"Large = wrist size over 7.5" Small = wrist size 5.5" to 6.5" Medium = wrist size 6.5" to 7.5" Large = wrist size over 7.5"
Calculating body frame size
illustration
-
Calculating body frame size - illustration
Body frame size is determined by a person's wrist circumference in relation to his height. For example, a man whose height is over 5' 5" and wrist is 6" would fall into the small-boned category. Determining frame size: To determine the body frame size, measure the wrist with a tape measure and use the following chart to determine whether the person is small, medium, or large boned. Determining frame size: Women: Women: Height under 5'2" Small = wrist size less than 5.5"Medium = wrist size 5.5" to 5.75"Large = wrist size over 5.75"Height 5'2" to 5' 5" Small = wrist size less than 6"Medium = wrist size 6" to 6.25"Large = wrist size over 6.25"Height over 5' 5" Small = wrist size less than 6.25"Medium = wrist size 6.25" to 6.5"Large = wrist size over 6.5" Height under 5'2" Small = wrist size less than 5.5"Medium = wrist size 5.5" to 5.75"Large = wrist size over 5.75" Small = wrist size less than 5.5"Medium = wrist size 5.5" to 5.75"Large = wrist size over 5.75" Small = wrist size less than 5.5" Medium = wrist size 5.5" to 5.75" Large = wrist size over 5.75" Height 5'2" to 5' 5" Small = wrist size less than 6"Medium = wrist size 6" to 6.25"Large = wrist size over 6.25" Small = wrist size less than 6"Medium = wrist size 6" to 6.25"Large = wrist size over 6.25" Small = wrist size less than 6" Medium = wrist size 6" to 6.25" Large = wrist size over 6.25" Height over 5' 5" Small = wrist size less than 6.25"Medium = wrist size 6.25" to 6.5"Large = wrist size over 6.5" Small = wrist size less than 6.25"Medium = wrist size 6.25" to 6.5"Large = wrist size over 6.5" Small = wrist size less than 6.25" Medium = wrist size 6.25" to 6.5" Large = wrist size over 6.5" Men: Men: Height over 5' 5" Small = wrist size 5.5" to 6.5"Medium = wrist size 6.5" to 7.5"Large = wrist size over 7.5" Height over 5' 5" Small = wrist size 5.5" to 6.5"Medium = wrist size 6.5" to 7.5"Large = wrist size over 7.5" Small = wrist size 5.5" to 6.5"Medium = wrist size 6.5" to 7.5"Large = wrist size over 7.5" Small = wrist size 5.5" to 6.5" Medium = wrist size 6.5" to 7.5" Large = wrist size over 7.5"
Calculating body frame size
illustration
-
Obesity
(Alt. Medicine)
-
Weight control and diet
(In-Depth)
-
Calcium
(Alt. Medicine)
-
Exercise
(In-Depth)
-
Eating disorders
(In-Depth)
-
Licorice
(Alt. Medicine)
-
Diabetes diet
(In-Depth)
-
Anorexia nervosa
(Alt. Medicine)
-
Zinc
(Alt. Medicine)
-
Menopause
(Alt. Medicine)
Review Date: 7/13/2016
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director and Director of Didactic Curriculum, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
