Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure that uses height and weight to categorize individuals into different weight groups. It is commonly used to assess if a person is underweight, overweight, or obese. For instance, a person with a BMI of 25 is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 or more indicates obesity.
BMI is essential for monitoring weight-related health issues, as it can predict the risk of developing obesity-associated diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. The concept of BMI was first developed in the early 19th century by Belgian statistician Adolphe Quetelet.