body mass index
noun
: a measure of body fat that is the ratio of the weight of the body in kilograms to the square of its height in meters
Examples of body mass index in a Sentence
A person with a body mass index of more than 30 is considered to be obese.
Recent Examples on the Web
The cutoffs for healthy weight based on body mass index (BMI) are plagued by the shortcomings of BMI itself, which should not be used as the only determinant of complicated obesity.
—
Jody Dushay, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026
Across all participants, body mass index stood out as one of the strongest drivers of oral microbial variation, suggesting the microbiome of the mouth may reflect a broader metabolic state.
—New Atlas, 14 Feb. 2026
While the researchers accounted for factors beyond diet that could have affected people’s heart health and skewed the results, such as physical activity, smoking status, family history and body mass index, that adjustment is imperfect, the researchers said.
—Barbara Mantel, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
The study recommends looking beyond body mass index (BMI) to metrics of body composition, such as waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios, that better capture where and how fat is stored in the body.
—Bret Scher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
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Jody Dushay, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026
Across all participants, body mass index stood out as one of the strongest drivers of oral microbial variation, suggesting the microbiome of the mouth may reflect a broader metabolic state.
—New Atlas, 14 Feb. 2026
While the researchers accounted for factors beyond diet that could have affected people’s heart health and skewed the results, such as physical activity, smoking status, family history and body mass index, that adjustment is imperfect, the researchers said.
—Barbara Mantel, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
The study recommends looking beyond body mass index (BMI) to metrics of body composition, such as waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios, that better capture where and how fat is stored in the body.
—Bret Scher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for body mass index
Cite this Entry
“Body mass index.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body%20mass%20index. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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