What Is BMI?
Body Mass Index or BMI is a tool for indicating weight
status in adults.1 It is a measure of weight for height. For adults
over 20 years old, BMI falls into one of these categories:
| BMI |
Weight Status |
| Below 18.5 |
Underweight |
| 18.5 – 24.9 |
Normal |
| 25.0 – 29.9 |
Overweight |
| 30.0 and Above |
Obese |
BMI correlates with body fat. The relation between fatness and BMI
differs with age and gender. For example, women are more likely to have a higher
percent of body fat than men for the same BMI. On average, older people may have
more body fat than younger adults with the same BMI.
For more information about overweight among adults, see Clinical
Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and
Obesity in Adults. Bethesda, MD: NHLBI, 1998.
