What Is BMI?
Body Mass Index or BMI is a tool for indicating weight status
in adults.1 It is a measure of weight for height. For adults over 20
years old, BMI falls into one of these categories:
|
BMI
|
Weight Status
|
|
Below 18.5
|
Underweight
|
|
18.5 – 24.9
|
Normal
|
|
25.0 – 29.9
|
Overweight
|
|
30.0 and Above
|
Obese
|
BMI correlates with body fat. The relation between fatness and BMI differs
with age and gender. For example, women are more likely to have a higher percent
of body fat than men for the same BMI. On average, older people may have more body
fat than younger adults with the same BMI.
For more information about overweight among adults, see Clinical Guidelines on
the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults
. Bethesda, MD: NHLBI, 1998.
