How to Calculate Body Mass Index and Maintain a Healthy Weight

Body Mass Index (BMI)

One of the parameters that allows us to estimate a person’s weight and its correspondence to height is the body mass index. By the value of this value you can judge whether you are underweight or overweight
. Since excess weight directly affects human health, in particular the functioning of the heart, controlling your body weight is especially important. The online calculator we created allows you to accurately and quickly find out your body mass index. To do this, just indicate your height, weight and age, and in the case of children, also gender. As a result, you will receive complete and comprehensive data about your BMI.

The body mass index was developed in 1869 by statistician and sociologist Adolphe Quetelet. In Western countries and the United States, it has become increasingly popular and widespread due to the increased problem of overweight and obesity. When the need arose to quantitatively determine a person’s normal weight, they decided to use BMI, since the formula for calculating it is very simple.

The BMI parameter only indirectly allows one to judge the presence of excess weight or, conversely, its deficiency. But if the calculation results go beyond normal values, this is a reason to pay attention to your physical condition.

How to use the calculator

An online body mass index calculator will make the task much easier. But in order for the resulting value to be as correct as possible, you need to know your exact weight and height. Use the following tips to measure them correctly.

You need to weigh yourself in the morning and strictly on an empty stomach.

To measure weight:

1. Place the scale on a flat surface. It is advisable that they always stand in one place.
2. Always weigh yourself in the morning. At this time, the value seen will be as accurate as possible.
3. Before you step on the scale, be sure to go to the toilet.
4. Weigh yourself in the same clothes without shoes.

To measure your height yourself:

1. To begin, take a small box in one hand, a pencil and a small mirror in the other. Or find a place against the wall opposite the mirror.
2. Take off your shoes. Even slippers with thin soles can seriously distort the result, so take off your shoes.
3. Remove your headdress and all hair accessories. Comb your hair so that it lies flat.
4. Find an area next to a wall with a flat floor. It is best if the floor is tiled. Stand close to the wall, pressing your spine against it. Bring your legs together and press them firmly to the floor.
5. Straighten up as much as possible. Make sure your head, shoulders, buttocks and heels are in contact with the wall. Look forward and lift your chin. This will help straighten your body.
6. Lift the box, place it on your head and press it firmly against the wall. Use a mirror to check that the box is level. If it is even slightly skewed, the measurements will be inaccurate.
7. Use a pencil to mark the level at which your head is located. To do this, mark on the wall the place where the bottom of the box is located.
8. All you have to do is measure the distance from the floor to the mark using a measuring tape.

You can measure your height yourself using a box or book.

After you have taken all the measurements, you will need to enter them into the fields of the online calculator. In the “weight” field, enter your body weight in kilograms, and in the “height” field, enter your height in centimeters. Click the "calculate" button.

Please remember that the value obtained is for reference only and cannot replace specialist advice.

Body mass index in women

Women's body mass index is slightly lower than men's. A normal BMI for women can be considered to be between 19 and 27.

Normal body mass index for women from 19 to 27

At the same time, body mass index also depends on age (but we remind you that the formula does not take it into account). Below is a table showing normal BMI values ​​for women of different ages:

Eat a balanced diet

The body must receive the required amount of proteins, fats and complex carbohydrates (BCC). Eat fish and seafood, meat, eggs and dairy products, nuts, cereals and legumes, vegetable oils, green vegetables.

But the body needs proteins, fats and carbohydrates in different quantities. In addition, proteins are divided into complete and incomplete, fats into saturated and unsaturated. Their proportions in the daily diet also differ...

It's easy to get confused about this, especially if you're not very knowledgeable about healthy eating. What foods to choose, how to correctly calculate the calorie content of dishes, what to cook so as not to sit on one salad all day? There are really a lot of questions.

To answer them, Amway specialists have developed a comprehensive Body Detox program. In just 3 weeks you can easily change your eating habits and learn to eat tasty and balanced. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and two healthy snacks: just select several dishes from the Body Detox menu and create your daily diet. There is no need to invent new combinations or constantly eat the same thing, there is no need to manually count calories. All recipes are described step by step, for each dish its calorie content and BJU are indicated.

NUTRILITE™ Appetite control with glucomannan helps to cope with the constant feeling of hunger and the desire to eat more than necessary. There is no need to test your willpower: just mix one portion of the dietary supplement with water or juice and drink shortly before meals. When in contact with water, glucomannan increases from 50 to 200 times, it envelops the stomach, partially fills it and creates a feeling of fullness.

You can even treat yourself to something sweet! But it’s better - in the first half of the day and not too often. Buns and chocolate bars should be replaced with fruits, nuts or a delicious smoothie with a mixture of dietary fiber with NUTRILITE™ inulin.

Body mass index in men

In men, the effect of age on the value of body mass index is not so significant. Physiologists distinguish only two age periods - from 18 to 30 years and after 30 years. The normal BMI for these groups is slightly different.

Normal body mass index for men is 21 to 26

In this case, the normal values ​​​​by age look like this:

Summary table of values

Interpretation of BMI indicators, in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO)

Who is the BMI formula for?

At the very beginning, the formula was used only for diagnosing obesity. By determining the index value, doctors could predict the risk of excess weight problems before it reaches a serious stage. This method turned out to be very useful.

Currently, the BMI calculator is used for other purposes. For example, to quickly determine the correct weight in order to be able to individually adjust your diet and activity level. This applies equally to those who are overweight and those who are underweight.

How to calculate BMI results

When you calculate the index and get the result, compare it with the indicators in the table.

Calculating BMI is conventionally divided into 3 ranges: underweight, normal and overweight, each of which includes several stages of body composition assessment.

• A BMI less than 16 means severe underweight; you should consult a doctor. Most likely, the doctor will diagnose anorexia and prescribe a course of enhanced nutrition and psychotherapy. Anorexia is an eating disorder that leads to exhaustion of the body and can be fatal.
• BMI less than 18.5 is mild underweight. You need to eat more, include more protein foods and fats in your diet. It’s better to contact a nutritionist to draw up a therapeutic weight gain program.
• BMI 18.5-24.9 is normal weight. Maintain the average value of this range, try not to go beyond the limits, this way you will maintain a slim figure without signs of thinness and obesity.
• BMI 25-29.9 is an indicator of overweight. Obesity is a long way off; body weight can be reduced with exercise and a healthy diet. Eliminate sugar from your diet and move more.
• BMI 30-34.9 – 1st degree obesity. Consult a nutritionist, there is a risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis and diabetes.
• BMI 35-39.9 – 2nd degree obesity. Contact a nutritionist, lose weight urgently, the chance of developing diseases associated with excess weight increases by 3 times.
• BMI over 40 – grade 3 obesity. Excess weight threatens your life, consult a doctor. Use diets and other methods of losing weight only under the supervision of a specialist.

Weight calculator

What specific weight is ideal for me?

The calculator calculates the ideal weight range for you based on your height.
From this range you are free to choose any specific weight, depending on your preferences, beliefs and requirements for your figure. For example, adherents of a model figure tend to keep their weight at the lower limit. If your priority is health and healthy life expectancy, then your ideal weight is calculated based on medical statistics. In this case, the optimal weight is calculated based on a BMI of 23.

Can the assessment received be trusted?

Yes. Adult weight estimates are based on the results of authoritative studies from the World Health Organization (WHO). The weight of children and adolescents from birth to 18 years of age is assessed using a separate special method, also developed by WHO.

Why is gender not taken into account?

BMI assessment of adults is carried out in the same way for both men and women - this is justified by the results of statistical studies. At the same time, when assessing the weight of children and adolescents, gender and age are of fundamental importance.

Some other weight calculator gives a different result. What to believe?

There are a huge number of calculators designed to give weight estimates based on height and gender. But their formulas, as a rule, were developed in the last century by individuals or teams based on criteria that are unknown to you or do not suit you (for example, formulas for evaluating athletes).

The WHO recommendations used in this calculator were developed for ordinary modern people, taking into account the conditions of modern life, medical advances and based on recent observations of the population of all continents of the planet. Therefore, we trust only this technique.

I believe the result should be different.

The assessment is made solely on the basis of the height and weight data you provide (as well as age and gender for children). If you receive unexpected results, please double-check all entered data. Also, make sure that you do not fall into any of the categories of people whose weight is not assessed through the body mass index.

My result is underweight, but I want to lose more weight

There is nothing unusual in this; many professional models, dancers, and ballerinas do just that. However, in this case, it is recommended to lose weight only under the supervision of a nutritionist and endocrinologist, so as not to harm your health, if it means something to you.

Please note that most people's bodies are not able to fully function in a state of underweight. And only a few, due to the characteristics of genetics (or disease, ecology, lifestyle), can live comfortably with a deficit of body weight: without risk to health and without experiencing malaise, dizziness and constant hunger.

My result is normal, but I consider myself fat (or thin)

If you have concerns about your figure, we recommend taking up fitness after consulting with a good nutritionist.

Please note that some elements of the figure are practically impossible to correct only with the help of fitness, exercise, diet, or a combination of these. Your goals should be analyzed by an experienced doctor to assess their reality, consequences and prescribe only the right procedures.

My result is pre-obesity (or obesity), but I don’t agree with it

If you are an athlete (or an amateur weightlifter) with increased muscle mass, then weight assessment by BMI is simply not intended for you (this is mentioned in the explanation). In any case, for an accurate individual weight assessment, contact a nutritionist - only in this case will you receive an authoritative result with a doctor’s seal.

Why am I considered too thin or fat even though my weight is normal?

Pay attention to the personalities and weight of the people who bother you. As a rule, they judge solely by themselves: subjectively. Overweight people always consider thin people to be skinny, and thin people always consider overweight people to be fat, moreover, both of them can have a weight within the healthy norm. Take into account social factors: try to exclude, suppress or ignore those judgments addressed to you that are based on ignorance, envy or personal hostility. Only an objective assessment of BMI, which clearly indicates the norm, excess or deficiency of mass, is worthy of trust; and trust your concerns about your figure only to supportive people in your weight category, or better yet, to an experienced nutritionist.

How to calculate body mass index (BMI)?

It is necessary to divide the weight indicated in kilograms by the square of the height indicated in meters. For example, with a height of 178 cm and a weight of 69 kg, the calculation will be as follows: BMI = 69 / (1.78 * 1.78) = 21.78

BMI for men based on age

With age, a man's body changes. Organs increase in size, the amount of subcutaneous fat decreases or, conversely, becomes larger. These and other factors can lead to an erroneous interpretation of BMI according to Quetelet, so a special correspondence table is taken into account.

Let's say a man is 66 years old, his height is 175 cm, and his weight is 85 cm. If we calculate BMI using the formula, we get a value of 27.7 kg/m2. If we focus on the European table of normal values, then the man is clearly overweight. But taking into account the correspondence between age and BMI, we see that we can even talk about slight weight loss.

YOUR BMI IS OVER 30: OBESITY

You are obese, which means it is better to seek qualified help from a medical specialist to start losing weight. Remember, at this stage your health has already deteriorated, do not exhaust your body with hunger strikes and hard, exhausting workouts. This will only make the condition worse. Your doctor will give you all recommendations based on your personal indicators and individual health status.

Why obesity is dangerous: You may already suffer from certain diseases, perhaps you do not yet suspect it. In any case, obesity means diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, a high probability of heart attack and stroke, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, musculoskeletal disorders, etc. Before diseases take over, start fighting obesity!

Egorov-Levitsky table

This method is very easy to use! You don’t need to calculate anything, just step on the scales and then compare the result with the data in the table.

Maximum permissible body weight

It is worth noting that here we are talking about the maximum allowable weight for each age.

conclusions

Finding a problem leads to finding the most effective solution. An experienced psychologist can greatly help you with this. He will determine the right motivation and teach you how to fight complexes and bad habits. The attending physician will prescribe a period of rehabilitation therapy, and the cosmetologist will help cope with the loss of elasticity and smoothness of the skin after active weight loss.

The next difficult stage for many patients is complete adaptation to society. People have become unaccustomed to full-fledged social, family and work connections. Friends, relatives, and colleagues should help restore them with the least psychological loss.

Use a set of weapons that are very dangerous for him to fight Sly Fat:

• leisure,
• physical work and sports activities,
• moderate, balanced diet,
• constant contacts with doctors, nutritionists and psychologists.

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fact or fiction?

Eating more fruit can improve bone density.

Correct! Wrong!

Consuming foods with plenty of bioavailable calcium improves bone density. Fruits generally do not contain much calcium.

Excess protein accumulates in the muscles, causing them to increase.

Correct! Wrong!

Once the need for protein and energy has been met, excess amino acids are converted to acetyl-CoA, from which they are converted into fatty acids and stored in adipocytes. Therefore, excess protein will not be converted into muscle.