BMI is an estimate of body fat and a good measure of your
patients' risk for diseases that can occur with overweight and
obesity. For adults, a healthy weight is defined as the
appropriate body weight in relation to height. This ratio of
weight to height is known as the body mass index (BMI). People
who are overweight (BMI of 25–29.9) have too much body weight
for their height. People who are obese (BMI of 30 or above)
almost always have a large amount of body fat in relation to
their height. The higher the BMI, the higher the risk for heart
disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones,
osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and certain cancers (e.g., colon,
breast, endometrial, and gallbladder). Although BMI can be used
for most men and women, it does have some limits: - It may
overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular
build. - It may underestimate body fat in older persons and
others who have lost muscle. BMI for children and teens, 2 to 20
years old, is determined by using a BMI t