What Should You Know About Body Mass Index

The body mass index, or BMI for short, is a measurement used by doctors and health care professionals to screen and classify people based on their bodies. It uses two easy measurements – the individual’s weight in kilograms and their height in meters. The weight is divided by the square of the height in order to reach the BMI number for that person. While not an exact science that can determine if a person is healthy, as it can’t be used to measure how much body fat a person has or their overall health, it can still come in handy.

It is typically used to classify if a person falls into a weight category that could indicate an increased risk of developing health problems at some point. Upon getting the results of the BMI, a medical weight loss doctor can determine if additional tests are needed to check on the individual’s health in more detail. This can include assessments such as an evaluation of their diet and physical activity level, more exact body fat measurement testing, and a look at their family medical history. These will provide the doctor with more details and risk factors to consider when evaluating their patients’ health.

The body mass index, or BMI, uses a person’s weight and height in a mathematical equation to determine what their BMI is. While this is commonly done using metric measurements, in kilograms and meters, it can also be done using the imperial system, or pounds and inches. BMI can be used on adults, teens, and children, however, the breakdown will be different for each age group based on their body composition.

For adults, is broken into four categories – underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obesity. Inside of these classifications, the numbers are as follows:

• Underweight has a BMI below 18.5
• Healthy weight has a BMI between 18.5 – 24.9
• Overweight has a BMI between 25.0 – 29.9
• Obesity has a BMI of 30.0 and above

Many factors can play into a person’s BMI that will determine their health and their body fat, which need to be taken into consideration by their doctor. These can include their gender, ethnicity, age, and physical fitness. While BMI can be used as a starting point, a full assessment should be completed by the appropriate health professional to determine a person’s overall health and risks for developing medical conditions related to weight.

Your BMI, or body mass index, can be a quick and easy calculation to determine at a glance if you need to be concerned about your health. It uses your weight calculated against your height to determine a number that will then fall into a range of underweight, healthy weight, overweight or obese. There are many other factors that will determine a person’s risk of developing a health condition based on their weight but this one can be a quick indication of looking further into your health.

The higher the BMI, the higher the chance of developing any of a number of conditions that are tied to carrying excess weight. These conditions include diabetes, arthritis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, liver disease, sleep apnea, and several types of cancer. Dr. Thierry Jacquemin can let you know of further tests or assessments that can be done to determine your risk level and help you build a plan to reduce the risk, typically by following a healthy, nutritious diet and getting regular exercise.

Dr. Thierry Jacquemin can very easily check your BMI. What’s great about the calculation, is that you can also determine your BMI yourself if you know your height in meters and your weight in kilograms. The math is very simple – your weight is divided by your weight squared. There are also many BMI calculators available online that will calculate it for you. Your doctor understands that your BMI is only one of several factors that can indicate your health and your risk of developing any medical conditions that are linked to carrying excess weight. If you are interested in learning more about your BMI or if you fell into one of the classifications other than healthy weight when calculated it on your own, contact our medical weight loss clinic Vive Ageless Weight Loss Center. Our team can work with you to determine what factors are impacting your BMI and how you can get it into the healthy weight range. Our clinics are located at two locations in Coral Gables, FL and Pinecrest, FL. You can contact us or book an online appointment for both of our locations. We serve clients from Coral Gables FL, Miami FL, Pinecrest FL, South Miami FL, Coconut Grove FL, Brickell FL, Kendall FL, Richmond Heights FL, and Westchester FL.