Body Mass Index ( BMI ) | What it is – How I find mine?

Body Mass Index – What it is – How I find mine?

The Body Mass Index (BMI), is a figure derived from measurements made on height and weight allowing the measurement of body fat. The result gives an indication of how our body is classified, meaning if it’s obese, overweight or normal.

It would be good for everyone to know this figure, so the person in case is overweight (BMI higher than 25) could take care of any risks threatening its health.

In Fact this figure works as an assessment for doctors to reach conclusions for the relation of weight-height.

In practice, however, it is a simple mathematical formula. According to this formula, the weight (in Kgr) is divided by the height (in meters)

Here is an example:

If my weight is 50 kilos and my height is 1.59 then:

50: (1.59 x 1.59) = 50: 2.52 = 19.8, indicating that my BMI is at normal prices.

The categories, according to BMI values are:

• From 18.5 and lower, the person is characterized as underweight
• From 18.6 to 24.9 the person has a normal weight
• From 25 to 29.9 the person is overweight
• From 30 and over, the person is obese

Certainly this is a number useful to know for any individual’s health protection.

Scientific support

According to medicine, and more specifically of opinions published in medical journal, high weight has a big impact on middle age leading even to death. On the other hand, however, a low body mass index, below normal (less than 18.5), has quite similar consequences, hiding health risks.

Many experts believe that BMI is a very important factor in avoiding the dangers for human body, being a very useful tool for them.

There are, however, many others questioning the figure’s importance.

This opinion is supported by the fact that this figure should be based on age, muscle mass, sex and other factors. And they think the best way should be to measure your waste with the measuring tape, as this measurement means a lot.

Let’s see everything more clearly with an example of an athlete. The BMI can be high above normal levels while body fat is not high. This does not mean that this athlete is overweight but has more muscle mass.

Furthermore, in elderly people, the BMI looks is normal, but in fact, since the muscle mass has been lost over the years the index reflects the fat in the body.

Experts are of the opinion that a more representative figure should be derived from a formula involving body fat, its percentage, history background, family history, and exercise schedule followed.

Weight distribution is very important

Some people store more fat in belly while others present a higher fat accumulation in buttocks and hips.

Persons storing more fat in abdomen have more health risks, belonging in the overweight category. This is because the abdominal fat covers some organs, so these do not work well and make them more vulnerable to health problems.

Therefore, measuring the waist brings more valid conclusions relating to health risks.

For achieving an accurate measurement of waist area, no mathematical formulas are required. Just take a soft measuring tape and place it just above the point of navel. Tap it gently without pushing it, just as when you use a belt.

The point where all doctors agree that weight is only one factor on the risk of a disease. And along with this, the waist circumference, body fat, age, sex, medical history, BMI and other factors, equally important should be taken into account. By using all this measurement information, the assessment will be better and more reliable.

How I’ll have a normal BMI?

The first thing you can do is start following a healthy nutrition plan. Follow a low fat and high in vitamins, minerals and trace minerals diet.

At the same time, you have to find a fitness program that is right for your condition so you can follow it consistently without getting bored. Finally you can buy one of many approved and safe slimming supplements via the internet.

If you succeed not only not to maintain your weight, but to lose some of the extra kilos, then you are on the right track. Losing the extra weight, you’ll notice a great improvement in cholesterol, sugar and blood pressure.

Summarizing, the suggested steps are:

• Make the right choice in your diet (healthy foods)
• Give up large amounts of food
• Find out the type of exercise you like and proceed to an annual subscription with a gym so to “commit you” and not give up.
• Purchase a slimming supplement.

These stages constitute a suggestion for the rest of your life and should be a kind of general attitude of life.

Negative criticism for BMI

As shown, BMI estimates weight in relation to height. This in itself does not prove that one is healthy or has a good physical condition, in case the figures found ​​are normal.

There are other factors that should be considered before we make a relevant diagnosis.

Age is one of them. One more is sport.

If these factors are not taken into account in a serious way, then the doctor might reach a wrong conclusion (diagnosis) and consequently the wrong treatment will be administered. Therefore, researchers and experts emphasize that the waist area is more important than BMI.

The counterproposal from a well-known American clinic

Mayo Clinic presents a new proposal, cancelling BMI completely. It is suggested that BMI is replaced with BVI (Body Volume Indicator).

In a different way an attempt has been made to explain that obesity is not exclusively recognized by the weight but is a more complex disease. These researchers emphasize how dangerous is the presence of fat in abdomen and waist, covering organs and causing premature death, compared to fat located elsewhere on body.

Two people may have the same weight and height with fat accumulated in different parts of their body. The one who has the most fat in waist is at greater risk than the other who has it, for example, in hips.

In both examples the BMI is the same but the degree of risk is quite different. Here BVI would take different values, so the result would be more realistic.

This suggestion sounds quite interesting though no proof of it has been given yet. In future, however, we will have a relative verification of it. The only certainty is that BMI is not complete and does not reflect the absolute truth.

Conclusions drawn from study

It sounds reasonable that by measuring a person’s weight and height, the BMI will give an accurate result. There is no room for error. However, when the waist area is considered it is doubtful whether the numbers are absolutely correct since the measurement may not be done in a very precise way.

So the error that I believe exists in BMI, and that is why it has accepted all negative criticism is that, the age and muscle mass are not taken into account. Especially the age is a very important factor.

It is impossible, in my opinion, for a mathematical formula to judge the health of all individuals in the same way without taking other parameters into account. Athletes, for example, can not be treated in the same way as others who do not exercise because their muscle mass in the body is larger.

After all I think BMI is a quick and easy way to classify people and to help doctors and companies with their studies.

My advice is to concentrate on the problem of your own weight and try to solve it in the known approved ways (healthy diet, training, etc.) and not to pay so much attention to simple mathematical formulas that may not deserve anything for you, but provide assistance to various researchers and doctors in their work.