A Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator is a tool used by South Africans to estimate an individual’s total body fat, based on height and weight.
This calculator can be helpful for people who are tracking their health, as it provides insight into potential health risks associated with being overweight or obese. To use the BMI calculator, simply enter your height in centimetres and your weight in kilograms.
The calculated result is then placed on a graph that can provide guidance about whether your BMI falls within a healthy range for adults living in South Africa. Weight (in kg):Height (in cm):Calculate BMI
| Category | BMI range - kg/m2 |
|---|---|
| Severe Thinness | < 16 |
| Moderate Thinness | 16 - 17 |
| Mild Thinness | 17 - 18.5 |
| Normal | 18.5 - 25 |
| Overweight | 25 - 30 |
| Obese Class I | 30 - 35 |
| Obese Class II | 35 - 40 |
| Obese Class III | > 40 |
What is BMI
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure that provides an indication of your body size, calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in metres/centimetres.
It can be used as one factor to estimate your risk for heart attack or stroke.
However, it's important to note that BMI does not take into account age, gender, ethnicity and body composition such as fat and muscle mass and therefore cannot provide a reliable overall representation of healthiness.
For certain groups including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people aged 19 years and under, athletes with significant muscle mass and those with illnesses affecting fluid levels like heart failure; the accuracy of BMI is further limited due to its incapacity to acknowledge such factors.
In addition to tracking BMI via weight measurement, waist circumference can also be used to assess risk through measuring abdominal fat - however, this too has its limitations and reduces accuracy in pregnant women, children and those with enlarged tums due to medical conditions.
The best way to reach a healthy weight is to maintain a balance between nutritious eating patterns for a healthy diet alongside regular physical activity.
Key Things to Understand
Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is an estimate of your overall health that is determined by taking into account both your height and weight.
It can provide important insight for uncovering potential cardiovascular health risks like heart attack or stroke, however, it does not take into consideration several other factors such as cholesterol level and blood pressure which will add an extra layer of detail to the analysis.
Furthermore, BMI has its own fair share of drawbacks due to it being an imprecise measure in certain individuals.
For this reason, reaching out to a knowledgeable medical practitioner such as a General Practitioner (GP) and/or Accredited Practising Dietitian can prove beneficial to helping you achieve and maintain desirable weight health.
Is Body Mass Index reliable?
Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is a way for you to gauge whether or not your weight sits within the bounds of a healthy range when compared with your height.
Recently, it has drawn criticism as an accurate assessment of individual health due to its failure to consider discrepancies like body composition and muscle mass.
Unfortunately, research shows that carrying excess weight can have severe consequences on one's health, often leading to conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even certain types of cancer.
The prevalence of these ailments associated with overweight or obesity suggests the need for more precise measures beyond BMI in order to accurately evaluate an individual's overall wellness from a physical perspective.