Fitness Testing
Fitness Testing > Tests > Anthropometry > Body Composition > BMI
Body Mass Index (BMI)
BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is a measure of body composition. BMI is calculated by taking a person's weight and dividing by their height squared. For instance, if your height is 1.82 meters, the divisor of the calculation will be (1.82 * 1.82) = 3.3124. If your weight is 70.5 kilograms, then your BMI is 21.3 (70.5 / 3.3124) (see calculator links below).
The higher the figure the more overweight you are. Like any of these types of measures it is only an indication and other issues such as body type and shape have a bearing as well. Remember, BMI is just a guide - it does not accurately apply to elderly populations, pregnant women or very muscular athletes such as weightlifters.
Calculate your own BMI !
- If you are from the US and want to enter your height in feet and inches, and weight in pounds, use this calculator.
- For the rest of the world, there is a metric version for entering height in meters and weight in kilograms.
Test Details
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equipment required: scales and stadiometer as for weight and height.
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description / procedure: BMI is calculated from body mass (M) and height (H). BMI = M / (H x H), where M = body mass in kilograms and H = height in meters. The higher the score usually indicating higher levels of body fat.
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scoring: Use the table below to determine your BMI rating. You can also use an ideal height and weight graph.
Men |
Women |
|
underweight |
< 20 |
< 19 |
healthy range |
20-25 |
19-24 |
overweight |
26-30 |
25-30 |
obese |
> 30 |
> 30 |
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target population: BMI is often used to determine the level of health risk associated with obesity.
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advantages: simple calculation from standard measurements
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disadvantages: BMI can be inaccurate, for example with large and muscular though lean athletes scoring high BMI levels which incorrectly rates them as obese.
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other comments: Other simple measures of body composition, such as skinfolds measures, would be preferable if available.
Related Pages
- BMI calculators using imperial or metric values.
- about body composition
- other body composition tests
- reverse lookup BMI table and ideal height and weight graph.
