How Do You Measure Body Fat?
July 6, 2008 by
Filed under Weight Loss
Body Fat can be measured a number of ways but the most common is called body mass index or BMI.
As a general rule, a high-risk waistline is 35 inches or more for women, and 40 inches or more for men. The body mass index formula assesses the body weight of a person in relation to their height. It is a useful, indirect measure of body composition, because in most people it correlates highly with body fat. Weight in kilograms is divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2). Body mass index values less than 18.5 are considered underweight while having a body mass index value that is greater than 25 and less than 30 mean that one is overweight.
When you have a body mass index value of more than 30, you are considered obese. However, having a body mass index value of more than 40 means that you fall into the "extreme obese" category.
A popular game for the Nintendo Wii called "Wii Fit" uses the body mass index (BMI) in their game to show players where they stand and what "games" to play to work towards bringing their BMI down.
