BMI categories
A frequent use of the BMI is to assess how much an individual's body weight departs from what is normal or desirable for a person of his or her height. The weight excess or deficiency may, in part, be accounted for by body fat (adipose tissue) although other factors such as muscularity also affect BMI significantly (see discussion below and overweight). The WHO regards a BMI of less than 18.5 as underweight and may indicate malnutrition, an eating disorder, or other health problems, while a BMI greater than 25 is considered overweight and above 30 is considered obese. These ranges of BMI values are valid only as statistical categories.
| Category | BMI range - kg/m2 |
|---|---|
| Underweight | from 16.0 to 18.5 |
| Normal | from 18.5 to 25 |
| Overweight | from 25 to 30 |
| Obese Class I | from 30 to 35 |
| Obese Class II | from 35 to 40 |
| Obese Class III | over 40 |
