New Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator

[Med Help]

Hi,

We're pleased to announce the first of what will be a series of tools MedHelp will be providing over the coming weeks. For our Healthy Eating & Living communities we have created a Body Mass Index Calculator which will let you see if you are at a healthy weight based on your height & weight.

This tool can be reached by clicking on the "Calculators" link at the top of the community, or on the right hand panel in the "Community Calculators" box.

We hope you find this helpful, and if there are any other tools you would like to see, please let us know!

MedHelp

[Barb135]

I would agree that you are severely under weight.  Do you have medical issues that cause you to be so thin, such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism?  Or do you have an eating disorder?

[MrsAK420]

you are very underweight an BMI under 18 is very unhealthy.
i friend of mine was about the same as you she ended up in hospital and the doctors wouldn't even let her sit up in bed because her heart was so damaged that even getting a little excited could give her a heart attack, she was only 19. all her organs began to shut down and she had to be feed through a tube. it took her a long time to recover even today over a year later she is not aloud to run because her heart is still healing

[ashpem28]

My BMI is 15.6. I am 28, 5"4' and weight 91lbs....I would like to know how bad this is?

[tomwhite55]

Thanks for all of the great information on the BMI Calculator.  I have been using an online BMI calculator from a weight loss website called http://www.FitClick.com.  The BMI calculator is a great way to calculate your body mass and percentage of fat and jump start your workouts to lower your body fat and/or increase your muscle size.  Breaking it down for people looking to enhance their weight loss is a great idea; it helps me comprehend the topic a little better (which is good right?)

Thanks for your community contribution, I appreciate it :D
Tom

[Barb135]

I think the BMI calculator is great and will really be helpful for everyone, but particularly for "newbies" that are trying to get started.  Is there any way you can add how many calories/day I would need to maintain my current weight/BMI; then, knowing that I would have to create a calorie deficit in order to lose weight, I would have a good starting point?    

It would be great to have a food journal and calorie counter and something that would tell me how many calories I used doing certain activities (i.e. walked 1 mile, used 100 calories).  

I do have a question also - my PCP delights in telling me that as I get older, I will automatically gain weight - so if that's correct, should I, at age 59, be expected to have the same BMI as someone who is ?  

Thanks for the considerations.

[jimc21]

why does the Body mass index not take body frame into account? I have been a weight lifter and have larger muscle mass than a inactive person yet I am lumped into the same chart.