Body  Mass Index

Although there are concerns about body mass index (BMI) and its integrity in the health industry in being a solid indicator of weight, BMI does in fact matter. This method is not used as much as it used to be. However, nutritionists, holistic health practitioners, naturopathic physicians, and conventional physicians still frequently use BMI. It is still a strong indicator that can be used for assessing health risk during intake and follow-ups.

BMI was discovered by Mr. Quetelet, a Belgian mathematician in the 1830's. It is a math formula that divides a person's height by their weight, squared. The sole purpose of this formula is to identify if the weight (mass) of a person is appropriate for their height; as well as measuring how much visceral fat that could be surrounding the vital organs of the person's torso. This particular type of fat, in theory, can hinder the processes of these organs and be an indicator of over-abundance in nutrition (overeating), malnutrition (undereating) and/or risk of future illness.

Reading the Chart

Reading the scale of the BMI chart can be useful and can allow a person to know the condition of their health: if they are healthy or if they are at risk. The average healthy range on the scale is between 18.5 to 24.9. If a person falls below 18.5, they are considered to be malnourished (not getting enough nutrients (macronutrients and/or micronutrients)) and if they rise above 24.9, they are considered to be in abundance of nutrients or overweight. Depending on how high or low the number on this range, we can scale a person's obesity level and nutrition status.

The Calculation

Calculate your own BMI at any time!

• W (lbs) / H (in) / H (in) x 703

• 147 / 60 / 60 x 703 = 28.7

Obesity and  Disease

Obesity is the leading cause of many well-known conditions. Being overweight can increase the risk of future illnesses including high blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol, diabetes, gallbladder problems, sleep issues, mental illnesses, chronic fatigue, and above all cardiovascular diseases. ​Despite the chart, it is always good to know how to scale yourself so that you are prepared and prevent future risks.

References

1. Mahan, L. K. & Raymond, J. L. (2017). Krause’s food and the nutrition care process (14th Ed.). St. Louis MO: Elsevier

2. Ross, C. A., Caballero, B., Cousins, R. J., Tucker, K. L., & Ziegler, T. R., (2014). Modern nutrition in health and disease (11th Ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.