1. What is BMI?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify underweight, overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters (kg/m²).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the standard BMI formula:

Where:

• \( weight \) — Body weight in kilograms (kg)
• \( height \) — Height in meters (m)

Explanation: The formula calculates your body mass relative to your height, providing a standardized measure of body composition.

3. Asia-Pacific BMI Categories

Details: The World Health Organization recommends lower BMI thresholds for Asian populations due to higher risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease at lower BMI levels compared to Caucasians.

Categories:

• < 18.5 kg/m² — Underweight
• 18.5-22.9 kg/m² — Normal weight
• 23-24.9 kg/m² — Overweight (At risk)
• 25-29.9 kg/m² — Overweight (Moderately obese)
• ≥ 30 kg/m² — Overweight (Severely obese)

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your weight in kilograms and height in meters. For height, you can convert from cm to m by dividing by 100 (e.g., 170 cm = 1.70 m).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why are the categories different for Asian populations?
A: Asian populations have higher health risks at lower BMI levels due to differences in body composition and fat distribution.

Q2: Is BMI accurate for everyone?
A: BMI may not accurately reflect body fat in athletes (high muscle mass), elderly (loss of muscle mass), or pregnant women.

Q3: What's a healthy BMI range?
A: For Asian populations, 18.5-22.9 kg/m² is considered healthy with lowest health risks.

Q4: Should children use this calculator?
A: No, children and teens need age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles rather than adult categories.

Q5: What other measures complement BMI?
A: Waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio provide additional information about fat distribution.