BMI is the acronym for Body Mass Index that is used to evaluate the individual's weight in relation to their height and thus indicate if they are within the ideal weight, above or below the desired weight.
Being of the right weight is important because being overweight or underweight influences health by increasing the risk of diseases such as malnutrition when you are underweight, and stroke and heart attack when you are overweight. Thus, it is common for doctors, nurses, and nutritionists to assess the weight of the person in routine consultations to check the possibility of diseases that the person may be pre-arranged.
What do the BMI results mean?
The following table indicates the possible outcomes of BMI, according to the World Health Organization, with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 representing the ideal weight and the lowest risk of some diseases.
| Classification | BMI | What can happen |
| Very underweight | 16 to 16.9 kg / m2 | Hair loss, infertility, menstrual absence |
| Underweight | 17 to 18.4 kg / m2 | Fatigue, stress and anxiety |
| Normal weight | 18.5 to 24.9 kg / m2 | Lower risk of heart and vascular disease |
| Overweight | 25 to 29.9 kg / m2 | Fatigue, poor circulation, varicose veins |
| Obesity Grade I | 30 to 34.9 kg / m2 | Diabetes, angina, infarction, atherosclerosis |
| Obesity Grade II | 35 to 40 kg / m2 | Sleep apnea, shortness of breath |
| Obesity Grade III | greater than 40 kg / m2 | Reflux, difficulty moving, bedsores, diabetes, infarction, stroke |
Those who are not within the ideal weight should adjust their diet and exercise to achieve the most appropriate weight for their height and age.
When you are underweight you should increase your intake of nutrient-rich foods so your body has what it takes to protect itself from the disease. Already those who are above ideal weight should consume fewer calories and do some type of physical activity to eliminate the fat stores, which increases the risk of heart disease.
When you do not calculate your BMI
Although BMI is widely used to verify whether the individual is overweight or not, this method has some flaws and therefore it is recommended that in addition to it, use other means of diagnosis to verify if the individual is actually above or below of ideal weight, such as measuring the fat crease, for example.
Thus, BMI is not the ideal parameter to evaluate the ideal weight in:
- Athletes and very muscular people: because it does not take into account the weight of muscles. In this case, the measurement of the neck is a better option.
- Elderly: because it does not take into account the natural reduction of muscles at these ages;
- During pregnancy: because it does not take into account the growth of the baby.
In addition, it is contraindicated in case of malnutrition, ascites, edema and in bedridden patients.
A nutritionist can personally do all the necessary calculations to evaluate your weight and how much you need to gain weight or lose weight, taking into account the general state of health.
Why it is important to be within the ideal weight
It is important to be within the ideal weight because the right weight is closely linked to the person's state of health.
Having a small accumulation of fat in the body is important so that there are reserves of energy for when the person gets sick to take time to recover. However, excess fat accumulates in the liver, the waist and also inside the arteries making it difficult to pass blood, and this increases the risk of heart disease.
Therefore, being of the ideal weight is important to increase health, prevent cardiovascular diseases and increase the quality of life. So, those who are underweight should increase muscle volume to gain weight in a healthy way and those who are overweight should burn fat to gain health.
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