| "Just the FAQs!" BMI (Part 2) | |
Assessing the Results
Once you find out your BMI, you can use the BMI guidelines to assess which category you fall into:
According to the NIH, BMI categories are as follows: ***
- Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
- Overweight = 25-29.9
- Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
Note that if you are interested in assessing the BMI of a child, there are different standards. You can find out more information at the CDC "Body Mass Index for Age" Web site.
Usually the only people who should have a BMI of 20 or below are professional athletes who have an extremely low amount of body fat as a result of training and conditioning. If your BMI falls at 20 or below, you are significantly under-weight and should consider gaining a healthy amount of weight and building your mucsle mass with sufficient protein and exercise.
A BMI that is between 20 and 25 indicates that you are at a normal, healthy weight. People with a BMI between 20 and 25 are less likely to have health problems related to weight than any other BMI category.
If your BMI is between 25 and 30, you are considered overweight and you should begin thinking about making healthy lifestyle changes like portion control, calorie reduction, exercise, incorporating a higher activity level into daily life, etc.
A BMI of 30 or higher is more serious. This level of BMI indicates obesity and those falling into this category are at a far greater risk to have serious weight-related health problems than any other category. According to the Calorie Control Council: "Heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure are all linked to being overweight. A BMI of 30 and over increases the risk of death from any cause by 50 to 150 percent, according to some estimates." **
- Sources:
* Consumer.gov: http://www.consumer.gov/weightloss/bmi.htm. "Partnership for Healthy Weight Management"
** Calorie Control Council: http://www.caloriecontrol.org/bmi.html: "What is Your Body Mass Index?"
***NIH: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/risk.htm: "Patient and Public Education Materials"
Remember, the information provided here is not to replace that of a qualified physician.
Please see a health care provider immediately if you are experiencing any serious weight-related health issues.
