Recent Blog Articles
Stuttering in children: How parents can help
Icy fingers and toes: Poor circulation or Raynaud’s phenomenon?
Evoking calm: Practicing mindfulness in daily life helps
Finding balance: 3 simple exercises to steady your steps
Boosting your child’s immune system
Study: No effect on cognitive functioning from treatments for advanced prostate cancer
Surprising findings about metabolism and age
Thinking about COVID booster shots? Here’s what to know
POTS: Diagnosing and treating this dizzying syndrome
Did we really gain weight during the pandemic?
Staying Healthy
Do BMI numbers add up?
- By Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
Body mass index has had a mixed reputation for estimating obesity and possible health risks. Are there alternatives to measuring body fat?
How much body fat do you have? The number on a bathroom scale usually offers a clue, but it doesn’t always tell the complete story.
For decades, researchers have used body mass index (BMI) to determine whether a person’s weight is optimal and as an estimate of a person’s proportion of body fat. The BMI formula uses body weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters — or, in American measurements, body weight in pounds divided by the square of height in inches and then multiplied by 703. (If you want to avoid doing math, use an online BMI calculator like the one at /bmi.)
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!
