How to calculate body mass index (BMI) in the United States (US) is a measure used to determine if a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. It is calculated by taking a person’s weight in pounds and dividing it by the square of their height in inches, then multiplying the result by 703.
BMI is an important tool for healthcare providers to assess a person’s weight status and risk for obesity-related health problems. It is also used by researchers to track trends in obesity prevalence over time. The concept of BMI was first developed in the 19th century by Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian mathematician, astronomer, and statistician.