This inaccuracy may lead to a misdiagnosis or an incorrect assessment of risk factors between individuals.īMI can offer a rough idea of whether or not a person is at a moderate weight, and it is useful for measuring trends in population studies. Studies have shown that non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, and Mexican Americans may have significantly different levels of body fat but the same BMI as people from other groups. They can have a high BMI because they have more muscle mass, but this does not mean they weigh too much for their height.Īnother limitation of BMI is that it does not distinguish between people of different racial or ethnic groups. For example, high performance athletes tend have a lot of muscle and little body fat. While it takes height and weight into consideration, it does not account for factors such as: What is the problem with BMI?īMI is a very basic measurement. If a person has questions about their child’s BMI, they should consult a doctor. The CDC’s BMI charts for children use percentiles that compare measurements with boys and girls of the same age and gender. To calculate a child’s BMI, a person can use the CDC’s calculator for children and teenagers. The CDC use both age and sex assigned at birth in its BMI calculations for people between the ages of 2–19 years. This is because children typically grow larger with age. BMI based on ageĪge is not a factor in BMI for adults, but it is for children. A person can talk with their doctor if they have questions about calculating or interpreting their BMI score. Also see safeguards for BMI measurement in schools.BMI is just one tool to understand body size, and it does not account for all of the ways that people’s bodies may differ. School staff, child care leaders, and other professionals can use this spreadsheet to compute BMI for as many as 2,000 children. Use this calculator for children and teens, aged 2 through 19 years old. This calculator provides BMI and the corresponding BMI-for-age percentile on a CDC BMI-for-age growth chart. CDC Child and Teen BMI Calculator WidgetĪdd this widget to your website.Use this calculator for adults, 20 years old and older. This calculator provides BMI and the corresponding weight category. It is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people. Adult Body Mass Index Calculator WidgetĪdd this widget to your website to let anyone calculate their BMI.Information about BMI and interpreting the BMI percentile for children and teens. Information about BMI and interpreting this number for adults. How Do I Interpret Body Mass Index Information? BMI screens for weight categories that may lead to health problems, but it does not diagnose the body fatness or health of an individual. A high BMI can indicate high body fatness. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms (or pounds) divided by the square of height in meters (or feet).

Bmi calculator for senior women