Body mass index (BMI) is a measurement determined from the body weight and height of a person. It is a reliable indicator of body fatness and is a predictor of an individual’s risk of obesity health issues, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies BMI into four categories: underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese. BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters. For example, a person who weighs 70 kilograms and is 1.75 meters tall has a BMI of 22.8.