1. What is BMI?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple calculation using a person's height and weight to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. It's a quick tool to estimate body fatness.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the standard BMI formula:

Where:

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

Explanation: BMI correlates fairly well with body fat for most people, though it doesn't directly measure body fat.

3. Importance of BMI Calculation

Details: BMI helps identify weight categories that may lead to health problems, though it's just one factor in assessing health risks.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms, height in meters, and optionally age. All values must be valid (weight > 0, height > 0).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a healthy BMI range?
A: For adults, 18.5-24.9 is generally considered healthy, though this varies slightly by age and ethnicity.

Q2: Does BMI work for athletes?
A: BMI may overestimate body fat in muscular athletes as it doesn't distinguish between muscle and fat.

Q3: How does age affect BMI interpretation?
A: Older adults may have slightly higher optimal BMI ranges compared to younger adults.

Q4: Are there limitations to BMI?
A: Yes, it doesn't account for muscle mass, bone density, overall body composition, or racial/sex differences.

Q5: Should children use this calculator?
A: Children need age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles rather than the adult categories.