Importance of BMI: Your Weight Monitor

Body Mass Index or BMI is a great way to calculate if your weight or the fat index is in right proportion to your height. Your BMI number can tell if you need a change in lifestyle and diet. 

Why BMI is so important? You can get to know all about BMI here.

BMI - What is it?
Body Mass Index (BMI) is such a calculator that statistically measures your weight according to your height. This tool is widely used by medical and fitness professionals around the world to check of you are underweight or overweight or have the risk of obesity. If your body mass is way more than the normal BMI range, doctors usually put you through a number of different medical screenings to assess your overall health.

How to measure BMI?
Using the parameters of your height and weight, BMI is measured based on a set formula. The WHO states that healthy BMI for adults should range between 18.5 and 24.9. Below is the formula to measure your BMI.
BMI = weight in kgs.
             (Height in mtrs)2
BMI Is not applicable for pregnant and nursing women. Also, athletes might show a higher range of BMI due to a huge muscle mass and less body fat.

Importance of BMI for adults:

The BMI number is a preferable way to assess if you have had a healthy body or not. If your BMI is below 18.9, it indicates that you are malnourished. Either your plate does not contain the right amount of nutrients or your body isn’t absorbing the necessary nutrients. Your body isn’t getting the right amount of calories to support the daily activities. 

However, if your BMI is more than the preferred limit, then your body poses a number of health risks. Besides excess weight, a number of health conditions like diabetes, high BP, arthritis, liver diseases, cholesterol, some types of cancer may start a slow and silent growth. 

Importance of BMI for children:
A great way to assess if your child’s growth over the years is rounding off to the correct figures, BMI is a tool measuring body mass in relation to your child’s height and weight.

• BMI can help identify if your child is underweight, at a healthy weight or overweight. The numbers might also tell if your child is at a risk of being overweight.
• BMI also indicates the amount of fat in your child’s body. Does he have enough fat or less fat? If your child’s BMI calculates excess fat, then there are risks of future health problems.
• BMI is also the most preferred assessment of the child’s health rather than just calculating the height and weight.

It is to be noted that the body fat in a girl differs to that of boys that it changes with age. A healthy BMI keeps many childhood health risks at bay like high blood pressure, childhood type 2 diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol.
Talk to your physician about your child’s BMI!

How to maintain your BMI?

• Stop dieting! Instead, improve your eating habits. Eat healthy, in smaller portions and frequently.
• Skipping breakfast adds to your weight. It will increase your BMI unnecessarily.
• Divide time between work and sleep. Stay away from phones, laptops, and television when not needed. Get more sleep.
• Eat more of fruits and veggies in a day; at least 5 servings.
• Make exercise your daily routine. A 15 minutes of walking, swimming or weight training every day is the key to good health.

Although BMI isn't always the best measure for weight, nevertheless this unit is used as the primary check of a person’s health. 

Do you know your BMI? Visit your nearest clinic on 7th April, this World Health Day and get your BMI checked for FREE along with doctor consultation. 

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