1. What is BMI?

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. BMI screens for weight categories that may lead to health problems.

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 provides a simple numeric measure of a person's thickness or thinness, allowing health professionals to discuss weight problems more objectively with their patients.

3. Importance of BMI for Heart Health

Details: BMI is an important indicator for heart health as higher BMI is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and other metabolic disorders.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in meters. For height, you can convert from cm to m by dividing by 100 (e.g., 175 cm = 1.75 m).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a healthy BMI range?
A: For most adults, 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy. Below 18.5 is underweight, 25-29.9 is overweight, and 30+ is obese.

Q2: Does BMI apply to everyone?
A: BMI may not be accurate for athletes (high muscle mass), pregnant women, or the elderly. Other measurements may be needed.

Q3: How does BMI relate to heart disease risk?
A: Higher BMI is associated with increased risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes - all risk factors for heart disease.

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

Q5: What's better than BMI for assessing health?
A: While BMI is useful for population studies, waist circumference and body fat percentage may be better individual indicators of health risks.