The Body Mass Index is a measure of the body weight relative to height which can be used to determine if you are underweight, at a normal weight, overweight or obese. BMI indicates you are
- Underweight for BMI less than 18.5
- Normal for BMI 18.5 - 22.9*
- Overweight for BMI 23.0 - 24.9*
- Obese for BMI 25.0 and above
(*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)
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
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