Complete BMI Guide: Managing Health with Body Mass Index
2025-01-13
1. What is BMI?
BMI (Body Mass Index) is an international standard indicator for determining obesity using height and weight. Calculation formula: BMI = weight(kg) รท height(m)ยฒ. For example, a person with height 170cm and weight 65kg has BMI of 65 รท 1.7ยฒ = 22.5.
2. BMI Standards and Classification
WHO criteria: Underweight <18.5, Normal 18.5-24.9, Overweight 25-29.9, Obese โฅ30. Asia-Pacific criteria (including Korea): Underweight <18.5, Normal 18.5-22.9, Overweight 23-24.9, Obese Class I 25-29.9, Obese Class II โฅ30. Koreans have higher body fat percentage, so overweight starts at 23.
3. Pros and Cons of BMI
Pros: โ Simple and quick calculation. โก Internationally accepted standard. โข Useful for large-scale population health studies. Cons: โ Cannot distinguish muscle mass from body fat (athletes may be healthy despite high BMI). โก Does not reflect gender/age/ethnicity differences. โข Cannot assess body fat distribution (abdominal obesity).
4. Accurate Health Assessment
Check these along with BMI: โ Body fat percentage measurement (InBody test). โก Waist circumference (abdominal obesity if men โฅ90cm, women โฅ85cm). โข Blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol levels. โฃ Muscle mass and basal metabolic rate. โค Diet and exercise habits. Comprehensive evaluation is most accurate.
5. Maintaining Healthy Weight
โ Balanced diet: Proper ratio of carbs, protein, fat. โก Regular exercise: 3-5 times/week, 30+ min cardio+strength training. โข Adequate sleep: 7-8 hours/day. โฃ Stress management. โค Regular health checkups. โฅ No alcohol/smoking. โฆ Sufficient water intake.
6. BMI Improvement Strategies
Underweight: High-protein, high-calorie diet, increase muscle mass with strength training. Overweight/Obese: โ Calorie restriction (reduce 500kcal/day). โก Regular cardio (walking, jogging, swimming). โข Increase basal metabolic rate with strength training. โฃ Keep food diary. โค Eat slowly. โฅ Consult professionals (nutritionist, trainer).