Body Mass Index (BMI) calculates a person's weight and height to indicate body fat. While the test does not directly measure body fat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers it a "fairly reliable indicator" of body fat percentage.
Measurement
BMI is measured by dividing a person's weight in pounds by their height in inches squared. That number is then multiplied by 703 for a final BMI number. The BMI is then interpreted to determine if a person falls in the underweight, normal, overweight or obese category.
Normal BMI
A person with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 indicates a normal range on the BMI scale. Any result below 18.5 indicates being underweight, while a result above 24.9 indicates either an overweight or obese range.
Considerations
While the CDC uses the BMI measurement because it is inexpensive and quick, the organization recognizes certain problems with it. Because BMI does not take into account body muscle, BMI calculations may categorize muscular athletes with little body fat as overweight.
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