When it comes to health and fitness, a lot of terms get thrown around!
No matter how common, maybe you've missed the definition or importance of some of them — and that's okay!
We're here to help!
Take this FitPerezcious Reader's question for instance:
I was wondering what does BMI stand for and why is it so helpful?
Valid question! To answer in depth, we have Courtney Barber ready to go!
What a great question! BMI stands for Body Mass Index, a scale that estimates an individuals body fat based on their height and weight. The health industry uses this measure to determine overall health risks, by placing people into one of these categories:
Below 20 Underweight
30 and Over Obese
It is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared (m2).
There are many BMI calculators online, where you can you find out your own BMI. Click here link to: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
Keep in mind that this a general scale and fails to recognise lean muscle mass, so if you're an athlete or a muscular individual, this is not going to give you an accurate measure of your body fat.
A person’s waist circumference is a better predictor of health risk than BMI.
Thanks for your question!
Thanks for clearing that up so quickly, Courtney!
Courtney is always here to help! Check out her website HERE or facebook HERE and don’t forget to follow her on twitter @CourtneyBFit! And if U wanna know more about fitness and health terms OR anything else, U can always email us at Questions@FitPerez.com!!