Steps to Exercise — Page 73
- 73 - APPENDIX Publishers note: The section is not part of the original book but has been added with the author’s permission. (It was updated again in 2005 with the latest BMI Data) Body Mass Index This is the ratio of fat in your body to the rest of your body’s weight. Calculating body mass index, or BMI, is the clearest way to nd out how much of your body is fatty tissue and how much is muscle, bone, and other healthy tissue. Recent government studies have shown that a BMI of over 25 contains too much fat. A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. This can be very unhealthy for the body but how do you know if you have a healthy BMI? Simple, just do the following calculation to nd out your body mass index number: Body mass index = weight (kg) height (m)2 (Note: multiply weight in pounds by 0. 45 to convert to kilograms, multiply height in inches by 0. 0254 to convert to meters) BMI Category Below 18. 5 Low (underweight) 18. 5 - 24. 9 Medium (normal weight) 25 - 29. 9 High (overweight) Above 30 Very High (obese)