Fat that is mainly around the hips and buttocks doesn’t carry the same risk. Men and post-menopausal women are more likely to develop excess fat in the waist area. Healthcare providers calculate BMI by using weight in kilograms (kg) divided by the square of height in meters (m2). It is not able to differentiate between body fat and muscle mass. BMI is a useful measurement of growth for most people, but it is only an estimate. This increases the risk of chronic conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Body mass index (BMI) is a medical screening tool that measures the ratio of your height to your weight to estimate the amount of body fat you have. Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated using a persons weight and height. Both height and weight are used to calculate BMI. Enter your weight and height using standard or metric measures. View the BMI tables or use the tool below to compute yours. It is a tool commonly used to assess weight. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. Measuring your waist can help predict your risk of some chronic conditions.Ī higher waist size shows internal fat deposits, which can coat the heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas. Then we’ll jump right into BMI in the elderly What is BMI BMI is the acronym for Body Mass Index. higher for elite athletes with higher levels of lean body tissueĪs the BMI calculation doesn’t take fat or muscle into account, you should measure your waist as well to get the full picture.higher for people of Polynesian background.There are some exceptions – the healthy weight BMI range is generally: