What is BMI all about ?

The Body Mass Index (BMI), or Quetelet index, is a statistical measurement which compares a person's weight and height. Though it does not actually measure the percentage of body fat, it is a useful tool to estimate a healthy body weight based on how tall a person is. Due to its ease of measurement and calculation, it is used as diagnostic tool to identify obesity problems within a population.

An easy way to judge weather you lie in the underweight, normal or overweight category is to calculate your BMI . The formula for calculating BMI is

........................weight in kilograms

BMI( kg/m² ) = ————————

........................height in meters²

We are NOW following the stricter BMI Range definition for Indians as defined by the Indian Health Ministry which has been established due to the elevated Health Risks of Indians.

The Indian standards were prepared with the help of more than 200 experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute of Nutrition, AIIMS, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Indian Association of Advancement of Research on Obesity, Association of Physicians of India, Fortis Hospital, Diabetes India, Diabetes Foundation and Nutrition Foundation of India.

BMI	STATUS	DISEASE RISK
<18.5	Underweight	Makes you more prone to digestive problems, weakness, chronic fatigue, stress, anxiety, and hormonal dysfunctions
18.5 - 23.0	Normal	You are better equipped to handle stress, have good energy levels and vitality, are resistant to illness, and are in a good physical condition
23.1 - 25.0	Overweight	Makes you more prone to fatigue, digestive problems, circulation problems, varicose veins, etc
>25.0	Obese	Makes you more prone to diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, strokes, joint problems, arthritis, Spinal problems etc.