When is a BMI calculator used?
Mayo Clinic BMI and waist circumference calculator A body's mass index (BMI) refers to a measure which uses height and weight to measure the body's fat content. The presence of a higher BMI is linked to an increased chance of contracting chronic diseases such as heart disease high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes in adults. BMI can provide a fair estimate of body fat levels for the majority of people. However, it's not without its flaws. For instance, BMI may: Overestimate body fat in seniors or those with less muscle mass Overestimate body fat of people who are very strong and physically fit Additionally, BMI may underestimate risk for people who are of Asian descent partly because it doesn't factor in the risks posed by excess abdominal fat. Therefore, it's useful to evaluate waist size (measured slightly above the hipbones in the adult population) alongside BMI. Health risks go up with increasing waist size, in spite of BMI. Consu...