Which formula is used to calculate BMI?

The formula to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. This is a standardized approach that allows for the assessment of body weight relative to height, helping to categorize individuals into different weight status groups, such as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.

Using this method, the height measurement is squared, emphasizing the importance of height in the calculation, which helps ensure that BMI reflects the relationship between weight and height accurately. A correct understanding of this formula is vital for health and wellness professionals, as it provides a quick estimate of whether a person has a healthy body weight for their height.

While other options present variations of this formula, they all involve different units or arrangements that do not conform to the BMI calculation convention. For instance, dividing weight in pounds by height in inches squared does not produce a BMI value consistent with standardized interpretations, which primarily rely on metric measurements. Similarly, calculating weight in kg divided by height in meters or using pounds with meters deviates from the recognized formula, reinforcing the importance of using the correct metric units to obtain accurate BMI results.