What is BMI?

The full form of BMI is Body Mass Index. It is also known as Quetelet index. The Body Mass Index is defined as a statistical measurement of the weight of one’s body with respect to his/her height. However, it does not measure the percentage of the fatness of the body. It is used as a diagnostic tool in almost every hospital. It is used to diagnose to identify most of the problems related to the weight of a person. Mostly, it is used to identify, overweight, underweight and obese. It is quite easy to use the Body Mass Index for measurement as well as calculation. This measurement was invented in between 1830 and 1850. The famous polymath Adolphe Quetelet of Belgium invented this when he was in his way of making “social physics”. The Body Mass Index is calculated as the weight of an individual’s body, divided by the square value of his or her height. This formula is used universally in medical sciences. The unit of the result got from this formula is kg/m2. There is also a Body Mass Index chart that can be used to determine the Body Mass Index. This chart displays BMI as a function of height and weight.