Body mass index (BMI) is a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters (expressed as kg/m2). While BMI does not measure body fat directly, research has shown that BMI is moderately correlated with more direct measures of body fat. BMI can be used as a screening tool for body fatness, but is not diagnostic.
Why is BMI data important?
BMI is often used at a population level to assess overweight and obesity. Studies show that higher BMI – indicative of overweight or obesity – appears to be strongly correlated with diet-related diseases. Obesity in adolescents has quadrupled in the last 30 years.
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