A question that is often asked at GP surgeries, to personal trainers at gyms or typed in to Search engines. We will explain what BMI is, what it means and you can find out what your personal BMI is by downloading our free chart.

Download BMI Chart

What is BMI?

BMI stands for Body Mass Index. Essentially, it is a number that determines where you fall in the following categories: healthy weight, underweight, overweight, obese or morbidly obese. It is based on your height & weight.

It was introduced in the 1830s by mathematician Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet and is still used to this very day.

BMI is a simple, non-invasive and inexpensive way to look at body fat, using a person’s height to weight ratio. However, BMI does not measure body fat directly. Take a bodybuilder for example, they may be short with a high abundance of muscle and therefore as they weigh “heavy” on the scale they will often fall in the “obese” category, which is not a true reflection of their health. Therefore, when looking into body health; personal trainers will probably want to calculate more than one different reading such as Body Fat Percentage, Basal Metabolic Rate etc. as well as BMI.

What is my BMI?

For most adults, an ideal BMI is between 18.5 to 24.9. If your BMI Is 25 or more you are in the “overweight” category, under 18.5 is the “underweight” category, over 30 is considered “obese” & 40+ “extremely obese”. From our chart, you can find your weight on one axis and your height on the other axis, move your finger along to where they both meet in the table & it will show you your BMI number and category.

Find out your BMI by downloading our chart here

My BMI is high, what does this mean?

Individuals with a BMI over 30 are at higher risk of these health problems:

This means it is important for your health to try and bring your BMI down to a healthy range. You can do this through a calorie-controlled diet & exercise. Even losing 5 – 10% of your body weight has significant health benefits.

Are there scales that will show me my BMI?

Absolutely! Many of our medical scales have a basic BMI function such as the Kern MPE or Seca 704 column scales. You can input your height and then based on your weight it will calculate your BMI for you. They often have an optional height measuring rod for patients who are unsure of their exact height. For a more accurate insight into body health such as body fat percentage, total body water etc. We would recommend the Marsden MBF-6010 Body Composition Scale.

Download Solent Scales FREE BMI chart here

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