1. What is BMI?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. For women, a healthy weight is defined as a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m² according to CDC guidelines.

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 body mass per unit of height squared to estimate body fatness and categorize weight status.

3. Importance of Healthy BMI

Details: Maintaining a healthy BMI (18.5-24.9 for women) reduces risk for many health problems including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in meters. For accuracy, measure weight without heavy clothing and height without shoes. All values must be valid (weight > 0, height > 0).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use BMI?
A: BMI is a simple, inexpensive screening tool for weight categories that may lead to health problems.

Q2: What are the CDC BMI categories for women?
A: Underweight (<18.5), Healthy weight (18.5-24.9), Overweight (25-29.9), Obesity (≥30).

Q3: Are there limitations to BMI?
A: BMI doesn't directly measure body fat and may misclassify muscular individuals or those with reduced muscle mass.

Q4: How often should I check my BMI?
A: Periodic checks (e.g., every 6-12 months) are sufficient for most adults unless significant weight changes occur.

Q5: Should pregnant women use this calculator?
A: No, BMI calculations during pregnancy don't use standard weight categories.