|
|
Facts About Body Mass Index (BMI)
|
|
- BMI is a gross estimate for the amount of fat in your body. It tells you whether
you need to lose weight or not.
- The score is valid for both men and women but it does have some limits. The limits
are:
- It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build.
- It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass.
- Women tend to believe they look their best at values between 20 to 22 and men are
usually satisfied with a BMI of 23 to 25. If your BMI is between 17 to 22, your
life expectancy is longer than average. You don't need to lose weight.
- If your BMI is between 23 and 25, you are not considered overweight by most people.
But if your BMI is 26 or more, that's not good.
- In India, Normal BMI is less than 23, Overweight is above 23 and Obese is above
25 as per revised values by the Health Ministry in 2008
|
|