What Is A Good Body Mass Index (BMI) and How Do You Measure Up?

What exactly is a body mass index (BMI), and how do you measure up? Body mass index is an overall idea of what you should weigh based on your height. The BMI is a general guideline to calculate your body fat based on how your weight correlates to your height. Doctors use the body mass index as an average to determine if you might be at risk for health related problems. As with any general rule there are always exceptions, and it would be best to discuss your concerns with your doctor and consult with them to find out if you fall in the average setting. This index is not used for children, but mainly for adults.

Okay, now you know what BMI is, but how do you determine if your body mass index is in the approximate healthy range? You must know your exact height and weight, as the formula is your weight divided by the square of your height. Using a body mass index calculator would speed up your figuring.

What Is A Good Body Mass Index?

A healthy BMI is relatively expected to be between 18.5 and 25. Any figure under the lowest would be considered unhealthy in an underweight sense, and anything over the higher figure would be generally considered overweight. In general, the medical world uses this as a guesstimate of who would be likely to have more health problems. The conclusions are based on a healthy weight related to height.

So, what if you discover that you have an unhealthy BMI – does that automatically mean you are unhealthy? If so, what risks could you be looking at? As previously stated, remember that this is a general, not specific calculation, and does not cover the exceptions. There are, however, some health related risks that are tied to high or low BMI. Heart conditions are an issue with heavier body weights, as it puts more strain on the heart.

Also, a link was observed in some individuals in various dermatology studies between obesity and the tendency to develop psoriasis. It seems that when patients with psoriasis underwent treatment and additionally reduced the calorie intake, it enhanced the effect of treatment. Another skin condition, Keratosis pilaris, is also linked associated with those having a higher BMI. There are additional skin conditions that can appear because of high BMI, all related to being obese.

There are some treatments available for some of the affects that might appear alongside a high body mass index. A number of symptoms can be alleviated with treatments from your dermatologist. Wrinkles can be combated by the latest state of the art procedures in cosmetic medicine. Symptoms from skin conditions like psoriasis and keratosis pilaris can improve with treatments of prescription strength creams and lotions. Talk to your dermatologist, as they can discuss the treatments that would best suit your needs.

So, how does your body mass index measure up?  Online BMI Calculator