BMI is the abbreviation for the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the body mass index. But what is the BMI? How do you calculate it? And how does the body mass index help to find the ideal weight?
What Can The Body Mass Index Do?
The body mass index is an essential aid in assessing whether a person is considered overweight, average weight or underweight. Classic excuses such as “I just have a heavy bone structure” do not count here: The BMI units are relatively generous and thus satisfy the fact that not every person who does not look like a top model has to be equally overweight.
How exactly can you calculate your BMI, and why is it so crucial for our health? We explain the BMI and what’s behind it!
How Do I Calculate My BMI Value?
It’s not a very simple calculation, but even those, not a math ace, can easily calculate their BMI at home. So watch out and be quick to count:
- 1. First, you take your height in meters and multiply this value by yourself. The result is quickly noted or saved in the calculator.
- 2. Second step: Divide your body weight in kilograms by the result you just calculated.
- 3. The result: a number that you can’t do anything with.
The incomprehensible result does not result from the fact that you calculated incorrectly.
BMI Calculator
If you want to be exceptionally comfortable, you can, of course, have others calculate your own BMI: There are now many BMI calculators on the Internet that can calculate your value by entering your weight and height. Here you usually get the feedback right away: Beware of being overweight or underweight, or you can be happy about the statement that everything is in the green in terms of weight.
From Which BMI Value Are You Overweight Or Underweight?
As a general orientation value, one with a BMI between 18.50 and 24.99 is considered average weight.
- If the calculated BMI value is higher than 24.99, you are overweight
- If it is lower than 18.50, you are underweight.
The BMI groups overweight and underweight can, however, be graded individually.
In The Case Of Overweight, The Classification Is As Follows:
- Up to a BMI value of 30, one is moderately overweight (pre-obesity),
- Overweight up to a BMI value of 35 (obesity grade I),
- A BMI value of 35 is severely overweight (obesity grade II).
- If the BMI value is even over 40, one is exceptionally heavy (obesity grade III).
The Classification Of Underweight Is As Follows:
- Slightly underweight if you have a BMI value between 17.00 and 18.49,
- Moderately malnourished lies between the BMI values 16.00 and 16.99.
- Any BMI value below 16.00 is severely malnourished.
If your BMI value suggests that you are overweight or underweight, you should consult a doctor: he can advise you to avoid long-term damage to your health.
Adjusting The BMI Rating To Match Age And Gender
Of course, the BMI values mentioned only provide a rough guide to assessing whether you are overweight or underweight. It must also be considered that gender and age play a role in evaluating the calculated body mass index.
On the one hand, men have more muscle mass and can weigh a little more than women of the same size.
On the other hand, the BMI for average weight has to be set higher the older a person gets: While a 25 to a 34-year-old man with a BMI of 20 to 25, for example, has an average weight, a 45 to 54-year-old man can also have a BMI of 26 and 27 passes as average weight.
The Limits Of The BMI
The BMI is only suitable for getting a quick overview of how your weight is to be assessed in general. Of course, you already indicate how your health is doing. Of course, only a medical examination can reveal whether secondary diseases are caused by being overweight or underweight. The doctor is also the right contact when reducing or increasing weight sustainably.
In addition, it should be noted that the calculation of the BMI for very muscular people often cannot serve as a suitable orientation. Many an athlete will undoubtedly slip into the category of being slightly overweight. Due to his physical condition, however, he is anything but overweight.
Some experts also criticize that the body mass index treats people who are classified as overweight too strictly. If you are only just above the average weight limit, this does not necessarily mean that you are sick. The division of the body mass index is entirely arbitrary in this area – which can be seen overall from the precise gradations of five points each.
So if you put yourself under pressure in the face of a slightly excessive BMI value and try one diet after the other, you are doing it yourself, not least because of the well-known yo-yo effect, possibly nothing good. However, this only applies to a slightly increased BMI and not to severe overweight, for which there is a need for action.