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Weight for height is the most common list of body parameters to help determine if your body weight is correct. At first glance, BMI is an objective and reliable body mass index, but when you analyze the results of different people, it turns out that it also has many disadvantages. What is BMI? What do the individual indications mean?
Weight for height – BMI index
The BMI index is an abbreviation of the English expression “body mass index”, which is also known as the Quetelet II index. The BMI calculator is one of the simplest indicators of nutritional status that compares weight to height. To calculate your BMI, you need to know your current weight in kilograms and your height in meters. It is best to measure weight and height immediately after waking up on an empty stomach. If this is not possible, then cyclic measurements should always be made around the time of the day. The BMI is calculated using the following formula:
BMI = body weight (kg) / height (m) 2
The ratio of weight to height raised to the power allows us to know the height of the BMI index.
Weight for height – what do BMI indicators mean?
The BMI index is used to determine the correct weight, indicate the risk of overweight and obesity or underweight. The BMI reading is as follows:
- BMI < 18,5 wskazuje na niedowagę;
- BMI between 18,5 and 24,9 indicates normal weight;
- A BMI between 25 and 29,9 indicates overweight;
- BMI> 30 indicates obesity.
In extreme cases of obesity, consecutive BMI reading levels are also given. The BMI above 35 indicates obesity of the second degree, while the BMI above 40 indicates morbid obesity and is a signal that alarms against the increased risk of diseases related to excessive body weight and fatty degeneration of internal organs.
Weight for height – the benefits of BMI
The advantage of BMI, which compares weight to height, is that it is easy to measure. Thanks to this, it is possible to determine very quickly whether our body weight is correct. We can make the calculations ourselves at home and, for example, consult a dietitian in the event of significant deviations. Easy calculations without the need for specialized equipment is another advantage of the BMI index, which is the low cost of this method of diagnosing the correct body weight. These are basically all the advantages of weight-to-height balancing, so let’s take a look at the disadvantages of this measurement.
Weight for height – disadvantages of BMI
Due to the fact that the BMI index is based on a limited number of pieces of information, it is a highly unreliable index. The BMI index cannot be used to assess the correct body weight of the elderly, children, adolescents, pregnant women, athletes, as well as people who are struggling with diseases manifested by edema or water retention in the body. Athletes and people who regularly engage in physical activity deserve special attention. The same volume of muscle weighs more than fat, therefore, lean and fit people may have a higher BMI than people with extensive subcutaneous fat. It is not uncommon for athletes to achieve a BMI that would indicate they are overweight. Therefore, it should be remembered that the weight-to-height ratio is not a reliable indicator, but only one of many methods to determine the correct nutritional status and body weight.