BMI - Body Mass Index

The body mass index, or BMI for short, is a fairly reliable indicator of the amount of body fat of a person’s body. It is only an indirect guide to a person’s level of body fat, but it does appear to correlate quite well with other more accurate techniques for measuring the amount of body fat a person carries.

It can be useful to know your BMI throughout your weight loss program as part of your overall assessment of how well you are doing, but never forget that if you are trying to lose weight, then your overall focus ought to be on exactly that ... your weight.

BMI values are independent of age and sex, but is dependent upon body type (the BMI calculation is most accurate for average build type; slim or heavy boned individuals may not produce as accurate a result, but please bear in mind that body mass index results are only a guideline to body fat composition not a definitive result).

Limitations of BMI

BMI may not accurately reflect body fatness in people who are very short (under 5 feet), in older people, who tend to lose muscle mass as they age and those of an athletic build, typically males, who carry more muscle than the general population.

It also may not be the best predictor of weight-related health problems among some racial and ethnic groups, such as African-American and Hispanic-American women.

For most people, however, BMI is a reliable way to tell if your weight is putting your health at risk.

To view our BMI chart click on the link.

Alternatively, to use our BMI Calculator just click on that link.

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