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BMIBMIWhat is it?What is it?

Body Mass Body Mass Index Index (BMI)(BMI)

A formula A formula that includes that includes height and height and weight to weight to measure a measure a person’s lean-to-person’s lean-to-fat composition.fat composition.

Body Body CompositionComposition

Refers to the Refers to the percentages of percentages of fat, and fat-free fat, and fat-free mass (muscle and mass (muscle and bone) in the bone) in the body.body.

Healthy Goal: Low fat percentage and higher fat-

free mass percentage

BMI % Classifications:BMI % Classifications:

-BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness for most children and teens.-BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness for most children and teens.

-Inexpensive and easy-to-perform method.-Inexpensive and easy-to-perform method.

-BMI -BMI does notdoes not measure body fat directly. measure body fat directly.

Calculating Your BMI:Calculating Your BMI:

Weight(lb) / [Height (in)]^2 X 703Weight(lb) / [Height (in)]^2 X 703

-For example-For example: (Weight=150 lbs. Height= 5’5” : (Weight=150 lbs. Height= 5’5” (65”)(65”)

CalculationCalculation [150/(65)^2]x 703 = 24.96 [150/(65)^2]x 703 = 24.96

BMI Through the BMI Through the Years…Years…

Overweight: 25%-19% Obese: >30%Overweight: 25%-19% Obese: >30%

Other ways to determine body Other ways to determine body fat:fat:

Scale-Scale-

Standing scales includes Standing scales includes fat, body fluids, bone, fat, body fluids, bone, muscle, other tissues, muscle, other tissues, and perhaps clothes.and perhaps clothes.

Common household item Common household item and very simple to use.and very simple to use.

Because scale weight Because scale weight doesn’t isolate fat, it is doesn’t isolate fat, it is considered less useful of considered less useful of a measure.a measure.

Other ways to determine body Other ways to determine body fat:fat:

Waist-to-Hip:Waist-to-Hip:-Accounts for more -Accounts for more

abdominal fat.abdominal fat.

Uses a non-stretchable Uses a non-stretchable tape measure to measure tape measure to measure waist at its narrowest waist at its narrowest point. (Usually above the point. (Usually above the belly button).belly button).

Then measure hips around Then measure hips around the widest part of hip the widest part of hip bones.bones.

Divide waist by the hip Divide waist by the hip measurement to measurement to determine.determine.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Strengths and Weaknesses of Waist-to-Hip:Waist-to-Hip:

StrengthsStrengths

- Good way to know - Good way to know whether someone is whether someone is at increased risk for at increased risk for heart heart disease/diabetes.disease/diabetes.

-Easy to do.-Easy to do.

WeaknessWeakness

- Does not indicate - Does not indicate how much fat or how how much fat or how much muscle a person much muscle a person has so it is not has so it is not precise.precise.

Calculate your Calculate your BMIBMI

Use the BMI tool on the CDC.gov website to determine your BMI.

-Go to http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/

-Put in your information and record your BMI percentage.

-Then compare your percent measure to standards for underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.