Body mass index: Difference between revisions
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Height-weight tables are used to display this information in a clear manner. | Height-weight tables are used to display this information in a clear manner. | ||
However, calculating a person's BMI is not always the best method of calculating how healthy that person may be. For example, athletes may have higher body mass index's but have a very low body fat. Men are also likely to have a higher body mass index than women of the same height. It is only by considering body composition as a whole that we can get an ideal picture of how healthy or not a person may be. This includes looking at height, weight, gender, age, [[Body fat percentage|body fat percentage]], frame size and energy expenditure.<ref>Gropper, S.S., Smith, J., &amp;amp; Groff, J., 2005. 'Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism,' Wadsworth/ Thomson. (pp. 519-530).</ref><br> | However, calculating a person's BMI is not always the best method of calculating how healthy that person may be. For example, athletes may have higher body mass index's but have a very low body fat. Men are also likely to have a higher body mass index than women of the same height. It is only by considering body composition as a whole that we can get an ideal picture of how healthy or not a person may be. This includes looking at height, weight, gender, age, [[Body fat percentage|body fat percentage]], frame size and energy expenditure.<ref>Gropper, S.S., Smith, J., &amp;amp;amp; Groff, J., 2005. 'Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism,' Wadsworth/ Thomson. (pp. 519-530).</ref><br> | ||
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Revision as of 22:39, 26 November 2014
Body mass index (BMI) is used as an indicator of general health. It is calculated taking into account a person's height and weight.
The calculation is : BMI = Weight (kg) / Height2 (m)
This calculation catagorises people into distinct groups:
If a person's BMI is less than 18.5 kg/m2 then that person is considered 'underweight.'
If a person's BMI is between 18.5 kg/m2 and 24.9 kg/m2 then that person is considered 'healthy.'
If a person's BMI is equal to or above 25 kg/m2 then that person is considered 'overweight.'
If a person's BMI is equal to or above 35 kg/m2 then that person is considered 'obese.'
If a person's BMI is equal to or above 40 kg/m2 then that person is considered 'morbidly obese.'
Height-weight tables are used to display this information in a clear manner.
However, calculating a person's BMI is not always the best method of calculating how healthy that person may be. For example, athletes may have higher body mass index's but have a very low body fat. Men are also likely to have a higher body mass index than women of the same height. It is only by considering body composition as a whole that we can get an ideal picture of how healthy or not a person may be. This includes looking at height, weight, gender, age, body fat percentage, frame size and energy expenditure.[1]
References
- ↑ Gropper, S.S., Smith, J., &amp;amp; Groff, J., 2005. 'Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism,' Wadsworth/ Thomson. (pp. 519-530).