BMI Chart for Women

Women are more likely to gain weight fast as they are more prone to hormonal imbalance than men. A woman's body experiences several changes at the onset of puberty, and during menstruation, pregnancy, breast feeding and menopause.

Being more emotional, women are more likely to suffer from stress-induced hormonal imbalance as well. Low physical activity after childbirth or after menopause is one of the main causes of excessive weight gain in women. Calculating BMI is the easiest way to know whether your weight is within the normal range for your height.

BMI is the abbreviation for body mass index. Calculating BMI is very easy, here is the formula:

• As per SI Units: BMI (in kg/m²) = mass (in kg)/(height in meters)²
• Imperial Units 1: BMI = mass (lb) × 703/(height (in))²
• Imperial Units 2: BMI = mass (lb) × 4.88/(height (ft))²

BMI 18.5 to 25  : Normal or optimal weight
BMI > 25 : Overweight
BMI < 18.5 : Underweight
BMI < 17.5 : Extremely underweight
BMI = 30 or BMI > 30 : Obese
BMI = 40 or BMI > 40 : Morbid obesity

Let's first clear the point that the BMI chart for Women is applicable to men as well. Gender does not affect BMI calculation. So, men and women can use the same chart.

BMI is the height to weight ratio which helps you know whether you are overweight, underweight or within the range of normal weight for your height. Some advanced BMI calculators also provide information on waist-hip ratio, percentage of fat in the body, etc.

Body composition depends on genetic factors, overall health, age, sex, physical activity, etc. The ideal weight for a small framed woman will be different from the ideal weight for a medium or large framed woman of same age.

Women with normal weight may be considered overweight if their body fat percentage is high enough To have perfect curves at perfect places, you need to follow a balanced diet and you need to perform exercises regularly.

Increased obesity has resulted in decreased productivity, in all parts of the world. Not only adults but youngsters are also suffering from diabetes, heart diseases, arthritis, hypertension and other obesity-related chronic diseases. Increased medical cost is another issue of concern.

To stay away from these problems, you can refer to the BMI chart from time to time and may try to control your weight with the help of diet and exercise.

According to the BMI chart, women having BMI between 18.5 to 25 are said to have normal weight. Many women think that they don't need to follow diet as they belong to the group of normal-weight women and they consider themselves as healthy.

BMI chart for women would help them know whether they are near the upper limit for being overweight or near the lower limit for being underweight. Women are more conscious about their looks and often fall prey to fad diets ending up with health problems. 'Staying healthy' is more important than 'looking sexy'.