Body Mass Index Calculator

Body mass index (BMI) is a commonly used method for determining excess weight. Body mass index is used to assess whether or not a person is overweight. This is a very easy to use and calculate method. To calculate the body mass index, it is necessary to know the weight and height of a person. The formula for body mass index is as follows: weight (kg) : height (m)2.

For example, if a person’s height is 1.82m and weight 75kg, then the formula for calculating the body mass index will look like this: 75 : (1.82)2 = 75 : 3.3124 = 22.64

However, the calculation of body mass index does not always show the exact state of general health of a person. Both insufficient and excess body weight correlate with the risk of various health problems. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to body weight, and also to body mass index.

Body mass index does not always show accurate and sufficient information about a person’s state of health, because only 2 factors are taken into account in the calculation – weight and height length. The calculation of the body mass index does not take factors such as, for example, how much of this weight is from water, fat or muscle. It also does not include other factors such as level of physical activity, lifestyle, gender, race, etc.

For example, athletes usually have a higher percentage of muscle mass composition. However, the body mass indices of an athlete and an ordinary person may be the same. Many sports require a lot of strength, such as weightlifting, boxing, spring, or American football. In such sports, as a rule, there is more muscle mass than in sports that are based on endurance. Thus, the body mass index of athletes can also be relatively higher.

When using, body mass index, a person’s BMI can show up as normal. However, if a person’s body fat percentage is high, it can still indicate different risks of health problems. Thus, body mass index can give inaccurate information.

What methods can still be used?

Healthy waist-to-hip ratio measurements

By measuring the waist circumference, one can assess whether excess weight is accumulated around the waist. The fat mass around the waist can often indicate the risks of various diseases, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

For men and women, readings of a healthy waist circumference differ.

For men, the readings are as follows:

• Below 94cm – low risk
• 94-102cm – high risk
• Over 102cm – very high risk

For women, the readings are as follows:

• Below 80cm – low risk
• 80-88cm – high risk
• Over 88cm – very high risk

Although the body mass index, waist and hip measurements provide information on the calculation of excess weight. These measurements, however, are not able to accurately show the level of body fat, which is a serious risk factor for various health problems. In order to accurately determine the level of body fat, professional tests can be carried out in medical institutions, for example, by conducting a medical analysis of body composition or underwater weighing methods.

Body mass index table