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BMI Formula:
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Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple calculation using a person's height and weight. The formula is BMI = kg/m² where kg is a person's weight in kilograms and m² is their height in meters squared. For women, BMI percentiles are less commonly used for adults than for children.
The calculator uses the standard BMI formula:
Where:
Explanation: BMI provides a simple numeric measure of a person's thickness or thinness, allowing health professionals to discuss weight problems more objectively with their patients.
Details: BMI is a screening tool that can indicate whether a woman is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. However, it doesn't directly measure body fat and doesn't account for muscle mass, bone density, or overall body composition.
Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in meters. For height, you can convert from cm to m by dividing by 100 (e.g., 165 cm = 1.65 m). All values must be valid (weight > 0, height > 0).
Q1: What are the BMI categories for adult women?
A: Underweight (<18.5), Normal weight (18.5-24.9), Overweight (25-29.9), Obese (≥30).
Q2: Why are percentiles less common for adult women?
A: BMI categories for adults are based on fixed cut-off points that correlate with health risks, while children's BMI is assessed relative to peers of the same age and sex.
Q3: What are limitations of BMI for women?
A: BMI may overestimate body fat in muscular women and underestimate it in older women who have lost muscle mass. It also doesn't account for fat distribution.
Q4: Is BMI different for women than men?
A: The same BMI categories apply to both, but women typically have higher body fat percentages than men at the same BMI.
Q5: What additional measurements might be helpful?
A: Waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat percentage can provide additional information about health risks.