body mass index

noun

Definition of body mass index

: 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 According to a study by the app, Mindbody, this Georgia metropolis has the highest percentage of residents who feel spiritually fulfilled and have a normal body mass index per CDC definitions. — Kelsey Mulvey, Good Housekeeping, "First-Time Homeowner? Here are the Best Places to Live in the U.S.," 31 Mar. 2021 People who are overweight — those with a body mass index between 25 and 29.9 — can be vaccinated in San Diego County, but not in neighboring Orange County, for instance. — Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, "California’s vaccine eligibility lags behind other states. Will that change soon?," 24 Mar. 2021 Only 50, the Parkland resident has a high body mass index that put him at risk of a worse outcome. — Cindy Krischer Goodman, sun-sentinel.com, "Free life-saving treatment for coronavirus patients going unused in South Florida," 24 Feb. 2021 White, who was the most dominant player on the court, is a graduate student and has a much higher body mass index than most of Auburn’s players. — Giana Han, al, "Auburn refuses to use youth, a very real factor, as an excuse," 7 Feb. 2021 To qualify, patients must be 65 or older or have a body mass index greater than 35 or have health conditions such as chronic kidney disease, diabetes or immunosuppressive disease. — Jesus Jimenez, Dallas News, "Positive for COVID-19? These two centers offer free antibody therapeutics for some North Texans," 14 Jan. 2021 The new weight rules have also reignited a long-simmering debate about how accurately body mass index predicts increased health risks. — BostonGlobe.com, "State’s new COVID-19 eligibility rules open the flood gates for people to seek vaccinations," 5 Apr. 2021 Some of the most common: BMI: Students with a body mass index of 25 or higher are now eligible. — Rory Linnane, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Estimates suggest at least a third of those 16 and older qualify for vaccine. Here's how.," 25 Mar. 2021 But the University of Alabama transplant program had raised its body mass index limit to 40 back in 2015. — Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, "Longreads Best of 2020: Investigative Reporting," 21 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'body mass index.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

29 Apr 2021

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“Body mass index.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body%20mass%20index. Accessed 9 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for body mass index

body mass index

noun

English Language Learners Definition of body mass index

: a measurement that shows the amount of fat in your body and that is based on your weight and height

See the full definition for body mass index in the English Language Learners Dictionary

body mass index

noun

Medical Definition of body mass index

: 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 a body mass index in adults of 25 to 29.9 is considered an indication of overweight, and 30 or more an indication of obesity —abbreviation BMI

— called also Quetelet index