When you go in for a wellness exam, oftentimes the first things the medical assistant does is take your height and weight. With this data, the computer spits out your body mass index (BMI) number.

Sarah is an experienced writer and editor enthusiastic about helping readers live their healthiest and happiest lives. Before joining Forbes Health, Sarah worked as a writer for various digital ...

Body Mass Index is a measure of body weight to the square of your height. A higher BMI indicates higher and unhealthy body fat, which may lead to various health problems. To determine your BMI, a ...

For years, the Body Mass Index (BMI) chart has been a ubiquitous tool in doctors' offices and online calculators, providing a seemingly straightforward way to categorize individuals as underweight, ...

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used method to estimate an individual’s body weight relative to their height. It is believed to be a quick and simple way to categorize people as per their weight, ...

The “healthy” body mass index (BMI) ranges from 18.5 to 24.9. However, BMI is not a one-size-fits-all concept. BMI is a tool researchers often use to track obesity at the population level. Doctors and ...

Body mass index (BMI) is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight. It doesn’t measure body fat directly, but instead uses an equation to make an approximation. BMI can help determine whether ...

The Body Mass Index (BMI) helps in calculating the height-to-weight ratio of a person. The score determines if a person is at his/her healthy weight or needs to shed or gain more kilos. A BMI ...