- The NAOS Pyramid
- Nutrition and healthy eating habits
- Diet and physical activity throughout life
- Keep moving to stay healthy
- To find out more
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Body mass index: the measurement of weight
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is one of the most reliable and simple methods of
determining if you are the right weight.It measures a person’s weight against
their height and is a practical indicator of obesity risk.This index does not
distinguish between the fatty and non-fatty components of the total body
mass.It is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kg by their height in
m˛.In adults,a BMI of between 18 and 25 is considered healthy.In children,the
BMI is specific for age and sex. This range applies to people between the age of 25 and 34,and is increased
by one point for every ten years over the age of 25.Thus,a BMI of 28 is
considered normal for people between the ages of 55 and 65. Classification of obesity and overweight according to BMI (Spanish Society
for the Study of Obesity,SEEDO 2007):
BMI (kg/m2)
DEGREE OF OBESITY
< 18.5 Underweight 18.5-25 Normal weight 25-30 Overweight class I 30-35 Obesity class I 35-40 Obesity class II 40-50 Morbid obesity (class III) > 50 Extreme obesity (class IV)