At today's busy life we are always busy in taking diet food and reduce our weight. But how will you know that whether you are overweight or having an ideal body weight. We all need to know for this, BMI, it stands for Body Mass Index. But what is it actually? Does it provide valuable information which we all should know. It is a very useful tool which tells us about our ideal weight in relation to our height. The two basic parameters are measured through it. If your BMI is over 25, you are at increased risk for developing some health problems. If your BMI is over 30, your health risks are significant. The result from BMI calculator can be used to determine whether we are overweight, obese, underweight or normal and also to understand the amount of fat of an individual. People who are obese or overweight can take the results from BMI and plan a healthy diet to cut down the extra accumulated fat. You will be surprised to know that today many health professionals even use this calculator to evaluate obesity-related disease.

BMI is used as a screening device to identify the possible health issues which may arise due to obesity. Health problems such as heart attacks, diabetes, osteoporosis and stroke are some of the primary health concerns for obesity or overweight. With the use of this and its results, people may start taking initiatives to maintain their ideal weight. A tool just to assess the overall health and possible health risks of an individual.

While BMI for men and women are calculated the same way, BMI interpretation for men and women differ. It can be calculated in two ways which includes used of two different measuring units: kilograms and meters, and pounds and inches. Height is measured either in meters or inches and corresponding weight is measured in kilograms and pounds respectively. To get results from BMI taking measuring units and kilogram and meters, use the following formula:

BMI = Weight in kgs / (height in meters or centimeters) 2

To get results from BMI by using pounds and inches, use the following formula:

BMI = weight in pounds / (height in inches) 2 x 703

Once you know the output from the above calculation, you can easily interpret the results. Your BMI result is interpreted in following manner:

&bullYou are said to be underweight, if your BMI reading is below 18.5.

&bullYou are said to be normal, if your BMI reading comes out to be in a range of 18.5 to 24.9 (approximately in a range of 19 to 25)

&bullYou are said to be overweight, if your BMI reading is in a range of 25 to 30

&bullYou are said to be obese, if your BMI reading is above 30.

People who are obese or overweight are likely to have following health problems:

&bullType 2 Diabetes

&bullGallbladder diseases

&bullHypertension

&bullCoronary heart disease

&bullOsteoarthritis

&bullCancer such as endometrial, colon and breast

&bullRespiratory disorders

The BMI interpretations for children and teenagers however differ. This is because body fat changes according to age. Also, body fat differs between males and females. Your Body Mass Index is a measurement that will allow you to reliably assess any risks that you may have for medical problems due to excess body weight. It is important to know what your BMI is so you can adapt your lifestyle changes to prevent further weight gain before you develop medical complications.