Many people are very avid weight trackers. They would always want to know if the scale shows a healthy nutritional status in correspondence with what their height measurements show. There are many ways on how one can calculate if he or she is the right weight for their height. For example, measures such as ideal body weight or IBW, skinfold testing, waist circumference measurement and analysis, near-infrared interaction, and BMI or body mass index are used. Other methods also include DEXA, or Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, and BIA, or Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis. Although the last two are accurate measurements, they are slower and more expensive, so the usual parameter used is the BMI. To calculate your BMI, all you have to do is get your weight in kilograms and your height in meters. Although BMI can be a bit tricky due to the conversion factor, it is much easier to work with. Here is a simple exercise on how to calculate your BMI in case the data available is in pounds and meters.

If the weight is in pounds, first convert it to kilograms using this conversion factor: 1 kg = 2.2 lbs. For example, if the weight is 132 lbs/lbs, divide the value by 2.2, where the answer is 60. This means, 132 lbs = 60 Kg. As for height, if the data available is in feet and inches, the conversion factor is: 1 meter = 3.3 feet or 39.6 inches. For height, it is recommended to use the conversion of inches instead of feet. For example, if the height is 5’2″, first convert the feet to inches. 1 foot equals 12 inches, which means 5 feet equals 60 inches. Now add the extra 2 inches to the 60 inches Therefore, the conversion from 5’2″ to inches is 62 inches. But after getting this, the resolution is not done yet, inches need to be converted to meters. Referring to the conversion information above, it is standard for 1 meter to equal 39.6 inches. Using this conversion principle, 62 inches is divided into 39.6 inches, giving a value of 1.57. The answer is now expressed in meters, that is, 1.57 m. Note that in the given formula, the weight in kilograms is divided by the height in meters squared. In this case, 1.57 m is multiplied by itself. 1.57m x 1.57m = 2.46m2. After doing all the conversion, you are now ready to calculate your BMI.

Using the data given above, calculate your BMI by dividing 60 Kg by 2.46 m2; therefore, 60 divided by 2.46 equals 25.20. The BMI then is 25.20. Now after getting the BMI value, it is not the end of the task. This value would then be compared to a standard chart to find out if one’s BMI is normal or not. The normal range for BMI is 18.5 to 24.9. Below 18.5, the individual is malnourished. Above 24.9, the individual is overweight. A person can be considered obese if their BMI is 30.0 or higher. Using BMI, one can really keep track of their nutritional status and do something about it!