The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women. It’s calculated by taking your weight in kilograms (kg) and dividing it by the square of your height in meters (m). For example, a person who weighs 80kg and is 1.80m tall would have a BMI of 24.7. BMI was first developed in the 19th century by the Belgian statistician Adolphe Quetelet.
BMI is a useful tool for screening for weight-related health problems, such as obesity, heart disease, and stroke. It can also be used to track weight loss progress. However, BMI is not a perfect measure of body fat and does not take into account factors such as muscle mass or bone density.