BMI

Definition	:	Body Mass Index
Category	:	Medical » Tests
Country/Region	:	Worldwide
Popularity	:
Type	:	Initialism

What does BMI mean?

Body Mass Index (BMI) or Quetelet Index, is a simple index of weight-for-height that shows whether people have the right weight for their height.
BMI was invented by Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian astronomer, mathematician, statistician, and sociologist.
BMI is commonly used to classify underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity in adults.


BMI is defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters. For example, an adult who weighs 65kg and whose height is 1.72m will have a BMI of 22.
Calculation:
BMI = 65 kg / (1.72 x 1.72) = 65 / 2.96 = 22