What’s Your Number? BMI Explained

When it comes to health-related buzzwords, “BMI” is one that certainly gets a lot of exercise. Short for Body Mass Index, BMI is a comparison of weight to height that is commonly used to determine an individual’s weight status and associated risk of disease.

The formula for determining BMI is as follows: weight in pounds / [height in inches x height in inches] x 703. Curious what your BMI is, but want to skip the math? Use the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) BMI calculator, available here.

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Once you know your BMI, you can determine where you fall on the adult BMI scale:

•Underweight: below 18.5
•Normal weight: 18.5 – 24.9
•Overweight: 25.0 – 29.9
•Obese: 30.0 and above

So why does this matter to you? You may have heard by now that people who are overweight or obese are at increased risk of developing a number of health conditions. Indeed, there is significant research to suggest that being obese heightens your risk of developing a slew of conditions including heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, stroke and even some cancers. But before you panic: extensive scientific evidence suggests that these weight-related conditions can improve with as little as a 5 to 10 percent weight loss. For someone that’s 250 pounds, that’s just 12.5 to 25 pounds.

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That’s the good thing about BMI: it isn’t a static statistic. If you’ve been characterized as overweight or obese, you’re not forever doomed to that status. You have the power to change. By changing your diet and adding some movement to your day, you can bring down that BMI. Don’t forget: Nutrisystem is here to help!