What is BMI?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple, inexpensive way to measure body fat.  It relies solely on height and weight for the calculation.  BMI levels correlate with body fat and with future health risks.  Therefore, the CMS recommends practitioners monitor their patient's BMI as part of their EHR (Electronic Health Records).

Factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, and muscle mass can influence the relationship between BMI and body fat.  BMI does not distinguish between excess fat, muscle or bone mass, nor does it provide information about the distribution of fat among individuals.  So here are some considerations to keep in mind when evaluating BMI:

• On average, older adults tend to have more body fat than younger adults with the same BMI
• On average, women have greater amounts of total body fat than men with an equivalent BMI
• Muscular individuals or highly trained athletes may have an increased BMI because of their increased muscle mass.

For adults 20 years or older, BMI is classified using standard categories that are the same for all ages and sexes.  The standard categories are as follows:

BMI                                                           Weight Status

Below 18.5                                                  Underweight

18.5-24.9                                                    Normal

25-0-29.9                                                    Overweight

30.0 and above                                            Obese

BMI should be used as an initial screening tool for overweight or obese adults.  Health care providers must also recognize that other factors, such as distribution of fat, genetics, and fitness level will also contribute to an individual's assessment of health risk.

Use this formula to calculate your own BMI:   BMI = Weight (lb) / (Height (in) x Height (in)) x 703

For example:  Someone who is 5'6" (5'6" = 66") and weights 160 lb has a BMI of 25.8
BMI Calculation = 160 / (66 x 66) x 703 = 25.8 <== This person is in the Overweight category.