Definition
Body mass index (BMI), also known as Quetelet’s index, is calculated as one’s weight (in kg) divided by height in meters squared: weight/height 2. BMI is a well-known measure of adiposity and body fat in adults; it strongly correlates with direct measures of body fat and is highly predictive of metabolic risk and disease. High BMI indicates higher fat mass and adiposity, and it is a relatively easy, valid, and cheap measure. However, BMI is not a direct measure of body fat; the same BMI might index different levels of body fatness, depending on muscle mass, gender, and age.
BMI is often used to identify weight categories, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) (see Table 1) in adults.
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References and Further Reading
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Micali, N., Robinson, L. (2015). Body Mass Index: Self and Parents. In: Wade, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Feeding and Eating Disorders. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-087-2_91-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-087-2_91-1
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