How to use the mortgage calculator?

A BMI calculator is a tool used to compute a person's Body Mass Index (BMI).

• BMI stands for Body Mass Index.
• It's a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height.
• It's used as a simple, inexpensive screening method to estimate body fatness and categorize weight status (underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese).

How does a BMI Calculator Work?

• It takes your height and weight as input.
• It applies a standard mathematical formula to calculate your BMI score.

Metric Formula: BMI = weight (kilograms) / [height (meters)]²

Imperial Formula: BMI = [weight (pounds) / height (inches)²] x 703

The calculator then typically displays the resulting BMI number and often tells you which weight category that number falls into.

What are the BMI Categories (for adults)?

• Underweight: BMI less than 18.5
• Healthy: BMI 18.5 to 24.9
• Overweight: BMI 25 to 29.9
• Obese: BMI 30 or greater (often further subdivided into classes)

Important Limitations:

• Doesn't Distinguish Fat from Muscle: BMI doesn't differentiate between weight from muscle and weight from fat. Very muscular individuals (like athletes) might have a high BMI but low body fat percentage.
• Doesn't Account for Body Composition: It doesn't consider factors like bone density, body frame size, or fat distribution.
• Other Factors: It doesn't account for age, sex, or ethnicity, which can influence the relationship between BMI and health risk.
• Screening, Not Diagnostic: BMI is a screening tool, not a diagnostic tool. It doesn't definitively measure health or body fat percentage. A healthcare provider should interpret BMI results in the context of other health information.