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WHAT IS BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) ?
Body Mass index (BMI) is a measurement of your body height to weight ratio. BMI is an international
standard that is used for evaluating obesity. It is expressed as your body weight in kilograms divided by the
square of your body height in meters.
BMI =
body weight (kg)
[body height (m)]
It can be used as an indication to estimate whether you are overweight or underweight.
According to various statistics when BMI is close to 22, mortality rate is minimal thus the health condition
is most ideal.
Following can be used as a reference for interpretation of BMI.
BMI is low :
Amount of body fat is low. This is desirable for athletes. If the body weight and BMI is
low and you are not an athlete, it is suggested to gain weight through a balanced diet and an exercise program
to improve immunity.
BMI is average :
This shows an ideal BMI i.e. amount of body fat is at a healthy level. It shows low incidence for having a
serious illness.
BMI is high :
Risk for having a serious illness increases. It is better to lower body weight through diet and exercise.
BMI is very high :
This is unhealthy. You are at a high risk for having heart disease, high blood pressure or other serious illness.
It is recommended to lose weight by changing the diet and execising more often.
Mortality Rate
Asian
Level
Low
BMI
19.7 or less
Non-Asian
Level
Low
BMI
19.9 or less
Important : Please consult your doctor for the diet program.
Bwr102AE.p65
2
Average
High
19.8~24.1
24.2~26.3
26.4 or more
Average
High
20.0~24.9
25.0~26.9
30.0 or more
6
6
BMI value
Very High
Very High
05/22/2002, 7:32 PM
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