What exactly is a BMI?
In simple words, it’s an indicator. It’s an index that tells you whether you have a healthy body weight or not. BMI stands for Body Mass Index and is a measure of predicting the risk of heart diseases and diabetes. It’s an empirical method to calculate the relationship between body weight and height. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an unhealthy BMI is a major risk factor for cardiovascular ailments including stroke, along with joint problems like osteoarthritis, and even cancer. In simple words, as person’s risk of certain diseases increases with the increase of his or her BMI.
How to calculate BMI?
Calculating your BMI is not a rocket science. The Body Mass Index calculation is weight in kg divided by height in meters squared. There are several BMI calculators on the Internet that tells you your BMI free of cost. So, how would you know if your BMI is on the healthy side of the spectrum or not? If you’re less than 18.5, then you’re in the underweight category. Being underweight is not good for your health. You may lack stamina and immunity, which may lead to several health complications in the future. It’s extremely important to maintain a healthy weight. Try and include more protein in your diet. Also, try to change your lifestyle by eating healthy and engaging in activities that improve health.
There are three main sections of the BMI spectrum, that people fall into. One may be underweight, overweight, or obese. And, based on the demographic that you belong to, you may be asked to make changes in your diet or your lifestyle. Even after you come into a normal safe zone, make sure you keep monitoring your diet and lifestyle, to ensure that you don’t slip back into the underweight or obese categories.
How is BMI for women different from men?
This is a common question that people ask. In most cases, the BMI calculator for a man isn’t different from that of women. However, the method of calculating BMI for women should be different from men. Women tend to have more fatty tissues while men have a higher muscular weight. This is one factor that you need to consider when comparing the BMI for men and women.
A BMI is not just an indicator of weight. It’s an indicator of discipline. Although it’s important to look and feel comfortable, it’s also important that we stay healthy. Indulging in a carefree lifestyle maybe exhilarating at first, but it comes at a price. Which is why it’s extremely crucial to make sure our lifestyle is managed in such a way that our body weight balances out our metabolism.
At the end, it’s all about maintaining a healthy BMI. Work towards a healthy routine that involves good food and physical activities.