Body Mass Index Calculator: Obesity is determined by measuring body weight and fat. There are different ways of calculating body fat. Body mass index (BMI) is one of the best methods used to measure body fat. It is a simple tool that helps to figure out the amount of excess body fat and the associated risks of carrying this extra weight. It can be applied to both men and women.
BMI is calculated as the ratio of the weight in Kg and height in square metre. Guidelines define overweight as a BMI between 25 and 29.9 kg/square meter and obesity as a BMI greater than 30. Calculate your BMI...
The BMI was popularized by Ancel Keys in 1972. He specified that it would NOT give accurate results for individuals. It was only useful (with data to support it) to predict health outcomes when applied to POPULATIONS. So, although it gives a quick and dirty number, emphasis should be on the "dirty" part. It's simple to calculate using numbers doctors take anyway, it's very popular. Easy and popular are not the adjectives you are looking for when you want accuracy.
BMI tells me I'm very obese. However, every other health indicator shows me to be very healthy and the doctors have always pronounced me, "healthy as a horse." I exercise every day, 30-60 minutes of pretty intense exercise (treadmill at 9+% upgrade and 3+mph, weights, or fast bike riding). I can still climb steep mountain trails and ride my bicycle 16 miles on roads (obeying traffic rules) in less than one hour.