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 authors of the new study pulled data about health factors including air pollution, body mass index and alcohol consumption from the Gallup World Poll, World Health Organization and World Development Indicators collected from 2006 through 2021.
—
Lindsey Leake, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The survey polled 16,946 Americans, who self-reported their height and weight, then Gallup relied on body mass index (BMI) calculations — the historically flawed measurement traditionally used by medical professionals to determine healthy weight ranges — to determine who qualified as obese.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
The categorizations of obesity and overweight can contribute to weight stigma, and they are often based on body mass index (BMI), which is not an accurate measure of health.
—Julia Ries Wexler, SELF, 29 Oct. 2025
Obesity Obesity is defined as an adult body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
—Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for body mass index
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lindsey Leake, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The survey polled 16,946 Americans, who self-reported their height and weight, then Gallup relied on body mass index (BMI) calculations — the historically flawed measurement traditionally used by medical professionals to determine healthy weight ranges — to determine who qualified as obese.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
The categorizations of obesity and overweight can contribute to weight stigma, and they are often based on body mass index (BMI), which is not an accurate measure of health.
—Julia Ries Wexler, SELF, 29 Oct. 2025
Obesity Obesity is defined as an adult body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
—Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 28 Oct. 2025
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 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share