My BMI Says I'm Too Short

Sometimes Getting Taller is Not An Option

Is BMI a reliable measure of healthy weight? The inconvenient answer is... yes, for most people.

Many BMI haters think, because it is based on total body weight and not a measurement of body fat, it's a meaningless number. I think they miss the point.

BMI is not a body fat analysis. It is a quatitative measure used to identify health risk. BMI is calculated by taking your weight in kilograms and dividing it by your height in centimeters squared.  The target range is a BMI between 18.5-24.5.

Why? People with a BMI between 18.5-24.5 experience fewer health related problems.

Can you be unhealthy and have a healthy BMI? Of course.

And the reverse is true, particularly in elite athletes who are in a muscle building sport. They will have low body fat and a high BMI. But the smart money is on BMI to predict health risk.