What is BMI?

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a formula used to assess whether a person is a healthy weight for their height. It is widely used by doctors and health professionals as a basic indicator of a person’s overall health, helping to identify potential risks for weight-related diseases such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. BMI does not take into account factors such as body composition (amount of muscle versus fat), but it does provide an overall picture of an individual’s nutritional status.

How is BMI calculated?

The formula for calculating BMI is simple: BMI = weight (kg) / height² (m). In other words, a person’s weight in kilograms is divided by their height squared in meters. The result of this division determines the BMI, which can be categorized according to the range of values. Each BMI range helps classify a person into different categories, such as underweight, healthy weight, overweight or obese, allowing health professionals to make more personalized recommendations.