Body Mass Index (BMI):

BMI is a measurement that is a ratio of weight and height. It’s a good way to gauge whether the weight is in healthy proportion to height. In fact, knowing your BMI, can help you determine any health risks you may face if it’s outside of the healthy range

Being overweight can lead to a range of chronic conditions including:

• Type 2 Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart or blood vessel problems
• Cardiovascular disease
• Musculoskeletal problems

Being underweight can result in other health issues like:

• Risk of malnutrition
• Osteoporosis
• Anaemia

How to calculate your BMI

Simply divide your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared.

The BMI scale

• 18.5 to 24.9 = healthy
• 25 to 29.9 = overweight
• 30 and above = obese
• 18.4 and under = underweight

A good measure of your health, but not perfect

While it may be a great guide to establishing the amount of body fat you carry, your BMI won’t take into consideration your age, sex, ethnicity, or even muscle mass. It’s also not appropriate in determining a healthy weight in the elderly, children, pregnant women or even athletes.