What Does BMI Stand For? (Cont.)

Define BMI

Interpreting the BMI Number

Once the BMI number is determined, it can be interpreted for adults using standard weight status categories that are the same for both men and women. The standard weight status categories associated with BMI ranges for adults are shown below:

BMI	Weight Status
Below 18.5	Underweight
18.5 – 24.9	Normal
25.0 – 29.9	Overweight
30.0 and Above	Obese

One of the criteria used to diagnose anorexia a BMI under 17.5.

For children and teens, after determining the BMI, the BMI number is plotted on the BMI-for-age growth charts (for either girls or boys) to obtain a percentile ranking. The percentile indicates the relative position of the child's BMI number among children of the same sex and age.

BMI-for-age weight status categories and the corresponding percentiles are shown in the following table:

Weight status category	Percentile range
Underweight	Less than the 5^th percentile
Healthy weight	5^th percentile up to the 84^thpercentile
At risk of overweight	85^th to less than the 95^th percentile
Overweight	Equal to or greater than the 95^th percentile

(What Does BMI Stand For? Continued: Page 3)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD

Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD

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