What is BMI?
Body mass index is your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in metres. For 70 kg and 1.70 m: 70 ÷ (1.70 × 1.70) = 24.2. It is the yardstick used by the World Health Organization to describe an adult’s build.
The categories
- Below 18.5: underweight.
- 18.5 to 24.9: so-called healthy weight.
- 25 to 29.9: overweight.
- 30 and above: obesity; above 35, severe obesity.
What BMI does not tell you
BMI does not distinguish muscle from fat: a very muscular person can have a high BMI without excess fat. Nor does it say anything about where fat is stored, especially around the waist. It does not apply to children or teenagers, who have their own growth charts, or to pregnant women. It is a starting point, not a diagnosis.
Healthy weight: a range, not a number
The healthy weight shown corresponds to a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 for your height. It is a wide range: the right goal also depends on your age, build, history and what you can keep up over time. A moderate goal you keep is better than an ideal number you cannot hold.
What next?
If your BMI is above 25 and you want to lose weight, the calorie calculator gives you an idea of your intake, and the weight-loss time calculator the time to allow. The cure BalenZ programme is not offered below a BMI of 18.5.