The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on a person’s height and weight. It is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared (BMI = kg/m^2). The resulting number is then used to categorize the person’s weight status into one of four categories:
- Underweight: BMI less than 18.5
- Normal weight: BMI between 18.5 and 24.9
- Overweight: BMI between 25 and 29.9
- Obesity: BMI of 30 or higher
BMI is a commonly used tool to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. However, it is important to note that BMI is not a direct measure of body fat, and other factors such as muscle mass and bone density can affect BMI results. Therefore, it is important to consider other measures of health in addition to BMI, such as waist circumference, body composition analysis, and blood tests.