In these times, when fitness is what everyone seems to be talking about, BMI is used a lot. But most of us lack clarity on what exactly BMI is. Let us make it easier for you.

BMI or Body Mass Index is a ratio of weight and height. It can be defined as the weight in kilograms, divided by the square of the height in metres. This ratio is used to classify whether a person is underweight, overweight or obese.

There are three easy methods to calculate BMI-

The BMI calculation formula You can easily calculate the BMI manually using the following formula.

A BMI which is less than 18.5 signifies you are underweight.

A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is normal for a healthy adult.

A BMI that is between 25 and 29.9 signifies that you are overweight for your height.

A BMI that is beyond 30 indicates that you are Obese.

A simple way to know where you stand is to refer to the BMI charts for men and women. The BMI charts have weights listed horizontally at the top and heights on the side, vertically. You can easily find the ideal BMI for your height and the ideal weight. Also, you get to know how much at risk you are for weight-related diseases.

A more accurate method of getting your BMI is using the various online BMI calculators for men and women that are available online. You input your height and your weight, and it gives you your BMI. Also, you can input either your height or your weight, and it gives out the ideal figures for the other two. Though there isn’t a significant difference between the BMI of either of the gender, it is seen that the BMI of men is typically higher than men.

Your BMI signifies how healthy you are. A higher BMI means that you are more susceptible to coronary heart diseases and other illnesses like diabetes and other weight-related diseases. Concurrently, the medical treatment, along with the cost of medication required for such conditions is high.

Insurance companies use BMI to determine what your premium amount should be. The reason behind this is pretty straightforward. If they anticipate that your medical spending is bound to be more, it makes a direct impact on your premiums. Higher the expenditure, the higher will be your premium.

You should note that these figures are a mere indication of how healthy you are. However, they are not binding and final. For example, an athlete or a very fit person may have a high BMI. The excess weight, in this case, might be due to muscle mass, and they cannot be classified as overweight or obese. Hence though BMI is beneficial, it is just one of the many steps in deciding how healthy you are.