BMI Calculator

Benefits of the BMI Calculator for People of all Ages

One of the most important aspects of the human health is the body mass index (BMI). Being able to calculate your BMI enables you to determine your total body fat at any given time. Whether you’re a man, woman or teen, you can learn how to calculate your BMI using the BMI calculator or manually.

In this article, you’ll also find out the many benefits of the BMI calculator for men, women as well as kids. Not only would we answer the popular question, “how is BMI calculated?” but also we discuss the reasons you should always know your BMI in relation to your overall health.

So, let’s start with the simplest question:

What is BMI Calculation?

 

To get the hang of BMI calculation, you need to understand what BMI means. Besides the fact that BMI is a common acronym today, it stands for something really significant in the health and fitness world. Body mass index applies to men, women, kids and teens, as it pertains to body weight and the risk of obesity.

In modern times, the increase in the rate of obesity around the world, especially in the U.S., has been very shocking. In fact, children are becoming obese at an even faster rate. And the big question is “how can I reduce my weight?”

In modern times, the increase in the rate of obesity around the world, especially in the U.S., has been very shocking. In fact, children are becoming obese at an even faster rate. And the big question is “how can I reduce my weight?”

But did you know that BMI isn’t just about your weight? Body mass index is concerned with measuring your body fat by calculating your height against your weight. With the BMI formula, you can determine if you have the right body weight or if you’re almost obese.

The BMI calculator allows you to find out if you’re underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese and at risk of diseases such as cancer and heart problems.

Adults and children can learn how to calculate BMI, as the BMI calculator formula is pretty simple. It’s important to add, however, that the body mass index works with weight, height and age, and isn’t expected to change once a person becomes an adult.

So, look at it this way:

If you’re over 18, your BMI should remain the same and preferably you shouldn’t add weight. If you do, nonetheless, your BMI score shouldn’t be far from what it used to be.

The most important reason for you to know your BMI is to assess your risk of obesity. Doctors and health experts encourage men and women, including children to calculate their BMI using an accurate BMI calculator because this presents evidence of their normal weight.

When people are underweight, for instance, they can be encouraged to improve their diet and eat more healthy foods – fruits and vegetables inclusive.

People with normal weight are advised to maintain their BMI by engaging in regular exercise, living a healthy lifestyle, and eating more fresh foods while also leading an active lifestyle.

Now, for people who are overweight or obese, health experts often recommend treatment and a change of lifestyle in order to prevent every form of disease that can result from the excess fat in their body.

Other things which help to measure obesity apart from the BMI calculator are the waist circumference and blood sugar levels.

For men, the waist shouldn’t be more that 40 inches while women shouldn’t have more than 35 inches around their waist. If your waist circumference exceeds this measure, you should see a physician.

How does Calculating BMI Help Your Weight?

When calculating BMI, you need to understand the implication on your weight. While it is true that the BMI chart is not the only thing you need to know your body weight, it remains one of the most popular ways for determining the state of your health.

In the late twentieth century, less than 15% of men and women were obese; however, this number has increased to more than 30%. If you’re worried about the doubled rate, the reason isn’t far-fetched.

People have become more engrossed in their jobs that cooking healthy food has become increasingly difficult or less important and eating out is the trend.

In addition to this, the production of processed and canned foods has improved more than ever, therefore making more women patronize the canned food markets more than they visit vegetable markets.

Women as well as children are now on the top list of obese people, and this could be more frightening if not quickly controlled.

Beside the fact that using a BMI calculator can help you assess your weight, measuring your body mass index shows you the necessary changes you need to make in your lifestyle.

If your family spends more on canned foods than on fruits and vegetables, a BMI chart can give you reasons to adjust your food and health routine.

We agree with the view that BMI has its limitations in that your body type is another indicator of your body weight. BMI calculation for men or women works with gender as well as body composition to ensure that the BMI score is accurate and not exaggerated.

As far as height is concerned, you may know someone who’s as tall as you but whose BMI is different from yours. The reason for this is the role of factors such as fluid retention, bone density, and muscle mass.

Body fat isn’t all there is to body weight; hence, you need to take note of the presence of visceral fat in the waist and cholesterol as well as blood sugar levels.

How to Calculate Your BMI

In calculating BMI, you need to get the BMI calculator for adults, as it differs from that used for teens or kids. One thing that you should remember is that the higher your BMI, the higher your body fat.

Athletes, for one, tend to have more muscle mass than the average individual. Yet, this doesn’t imply that they’re overweight or at risk of obesity.

People who are obese are prone to diseases such as respiratory problems, poor sleep quality, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancers of various types and degrees, and type 2 diabetes.

Mathematical BMI Formula

The BMI calculation is done using a mathematical formula which could be represented in a chart or on a table. To calculate your BMI, you can choose an online BMI calculator or any of the BMI calculators on trusted health websites.

Some of these include the:

  • Mayo Clinic BMI Calculator
  • NIH BMI calculator
  • Nitrocut.com BMI Calculator
  • CDC BMI calculator

So, what’s the BMI calculation formula?

BMI = Weight in kilograms / height in meters squared

The BMI score ranges from below 18.5 to 30.0 plus. Over the years, some changes have been made in different countries to fit the BMI around the weight of people in the population. Such adjustments have brought about changes in the weight groups which some individuals belonged to.

Below is the actual breakdown of the BMI calculator metric:

  • Underweight – below 18.5
  • Normal – 18.5 – 24.9
  • Overweight – 25.0 – 29.9
  • Obese – 30.0 and over

People whose BMI score are high are at risk of stroke, gallbladder disease, untimely death, snoring, and joint disease. This is why calculating your BMI regularly can be good in identifying health problems before they become unmanageable.

These weight categories are the standard measurements in most countries of the world and they provide the ideal framework for the public and health authorities to handle cases of obesity and its accompanying effects.

Types of BMI Calculator

An interesting fact about the BMI calculator is that it’s available in different forms. We have the BMI calculator for:

  • Men
  • Women
  • Kids/children
  • Teens
  • Males
  • Females
  • Adults
  • Athletes
  • Navy/Military/Army
  • Pediatric/Infant/Toddler
  • Girls/Teenage girls
  • Women over 40
  • Women over 50
  • Men over 50
  • And many more!

So, irrespective of what group you belong to, you can always find a BMI calculator you’ll like. In children, you calculate BMI with their age and sex while in adults, you calculate BMI using their weight and height.

Take note, however, that BMI is only an indicator and not a perfect number. And when you know your BMI, you have information on the following:

  1. Diet patterns
  2. Family History
  3. Lifestyle (Active or Sedentary)

The Bottom Line

Overall, it’s important for men, women, children, and teenagers to know their BMI. When you calculate your BMI, you get to determine the state of your health and recognize the aspects of your life that need some improvement.

To get the best BMI calculator that allows you to calculate your body mass index easily, reach out to us. We provide a free calculator above which is easy to use, convenient, and reliable.