What is BMI? | Obesity & Health | Presence Health Bariatrics
BMI is used everywhere in our fitness-conscious society to put people and their health into certain categories: underweight, healthy or normal, overweight, and obese. But BMI is more than a label and a classification – it is an effective formula to determine the level of body fat a person carries and serve as a guidepost for further exploration into physical health.
In this blog, we’ll dispel some of the mystery around BMI and how it factors into overall wellbeing and health. If you have an obese BMI and are looking for additional information and treatment options, please don’t hesitate to call 877-3-YOU-CAN.
Breaking Down BMI
Determining your BMI, or body mass index, is relatively simple math: take your weight, divide it by your height (in inches) squared. Multiply the resulting number by 703. While this seems complex in writing, the formula is:
Weight (lb) / [Height (in)]2 x 703
This way of determining a person’s level of body fat proves to be effective and is not too far off the more advanced ways of calculating the same metric. In short, your BMI is a reliable indicator of levels of fat and can be determined without tools or expensive equipment. There are some exceptions to the rule, however. As we’ll discuss below, people vary widely in their physical makeup, and BMI doesn’t mean the same for everyone. For example, a physically fit individual may weigh more than someone with a higher percentage of body fat, as muscle is the denser tissue. What your BMI means for you goes beyond a number.
Calculate your BMI using our online calculator.
Body Mass Index and Overall Health
BMI on its own cannot tell your physician everything they need to know about your health, but it can be a starting point for further diagnostics. At any weight, patients will require more specific testing than just their BMI measurement to clarify their health needs. Determining body fat can also mean different things to different people. Having more body fat than someone else does not mean you are unhealthy and at-risk for medical conditions. In fact, in the healthy weight category, there is a difference of 40 pounds for what is considered normal, further emphasizing the idea that body fat and added weight at a certain height do not necessarily equal an overweight classification for everyone.
If you are concerned about an overweight BMI, visit your primary physician to express your worries and have any necessary tests completed. A routine blood draw can demonstrate cholesterol levels, which can inform a treatment plan. If you are overweight and in search of care, your doctor can offer guidance on working toward a healthy BMI.
A patient with an obese BMI may need close monitoring to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and problems related to high blood pressure. While it’s possible for an obese patient to have no current medical issues, they may be further evaluated to determine how their quality of life can be improved with medical intervention.
What Happens if You are Classified as Obese?
Obesity puts patients at risk for many troublesome health issues, some of which can even be fatal, such as heart health problems. An obesity diagnosis can be difficult to hear and even harder to correct on your own; as a disease, obesity is persistent and tied into emotional relationships with food that require more than simply watching what you eat and getting more active.
For many individuals with an obese BMI, the most effective solution is bariatric surgery. While this is certainly not the easy way out, it’s a powerful tool in patients’ efforts to improve their quality of life, physical wellness, and prevent highly dangerous health problems that result from obesity. Surgical intervention for obesity is life-saving and can help put patients into the healthy weight category. Patients also find that they no longer need the medications they were formerly prescribed to combat secondary issues related to obesity, such as sleep apnea and high blood pressure.
Learn More about Treatment for Obese BMI
If you have questions about your options for surgical weight loss and treatment for obesity, the team at Presence Health can help. Our bariatric surgeon, Dr. Rami Lutfi, is a pioneer in the field and an expert in procedures that include gastric bypass and vertical sleeve gastrectomy. If you had your BMI calculated before and were classified as obese, or if you did the math just now and are concerned about your health, we welcome you to call our office to learn more about what we can do for you.