BMI

See Also: Determining if you are overweight - Losing weight the healthy way - Common weight loss questions

What does BMI mean?

BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is a commonly used method of determining if a person is a healthy weight or not.

About BMI

A person's BMI is calculated by dividing thier weight by their height. It is presented as a scale; generally, a healthy BMI is considered to be between 18 and 25, while a BMI of 25-30 is regarded as overweight. A BMI between 30-40 is considered obese and anything above 40 is considered seriously obese.

How do I calculate my BMI?

If you would like to know your Body Mass Index, we have a handy BMI calculator. It is quick and easy to use, and can calculate both metric and imperial measurements.

Is BMI accurate?

BMI calculations don't differentiate between muscle and body fat, so BMI should only be regarded as a rough indication of your body's health. Muscular and athletic individuals may find themselves in a high BMI category even though they are in good physical shape.

There is question at the moment as to whether BMI is an accurate assessment of a persons health, as it doesn't take body fat content into consideration. For most of us though, it is a good, quick indicator of the state that we are in.

If you would like to read more about BMI and other methods of assessing your body, please visit our determining body weight page.

Express Chemist has a handy BMI calculator that can be used to determine your Body Mass Index. Your BMI is a measure of how heavy you are for your height. Generally, a healthy BMI is considered to be between 18 and 25. Anything below 18 is considered underweight, and anything above 25 is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.