The Body Mass Index (BMI) chart helps you determine if your weight is normal, too low, or too high. It measures your weight according to your height and gives you an idea of ​​your ideal weight range. Basically, adults input their weight and height into a BMI calculator, and the resulting number is their BMI score. A BMI less than 18.5 places a person in the underweight range, a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is within the normal weight range, a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is in the overweight range and a BMI of 30 or higher is within the range for obesity. Body mass index is assessed differently for children and is not accurate for people who are very muscular or have very little muscle mass. This is because body muscle weighs more than body fat.

There are some alternatives to the BMI calculator. The waist circumference measurement method is to measure the natural waistline, which can give people an indication of how much abdominal fat they actually have. Measuring waist circumference can also help health professionals determine if a person is at risk of developing heart disease or other medical conditions, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Women who have a waist circumference of 35 inches or more and men who have a waist circumference of 40 inches or more are considered to be in the high-risk range.

Waist-to-hip ratio is another way to determine if a person is at risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. To find out your waist-to-hip ratio, you need to measure your natural waist and the widest area of ​​your hips. After determining these measurements, you need to divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. A ratio of 0.95 or less for men and 0.80 or less for women is considered low risk for the conditions mentioned above. A ratio of 0.96 to 1.0 for men and 0.81 to 0.85 for women is considered moderate risk. Any number above the moderate risk ratio is considered high risk.

The method of measuring body fat is to measure the fat in four different places: the waist, the triceps, the biceps and the shoulder blade. After taking all these measurements, you must add them all together to find the total, which is expressed in millimeters. The higher your body fat, the more likely you are to develop obesity-related conditions.