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

Researchers measured obesity in five ways: body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio and percentage body fat mass. — Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times, "A ‘Sweet Spot’ for Heart Health," 15 Mar. 2018 The researchers found that the association remained even after controlling for factors such as age, race and ethnicity, marital status, income level and body mass index, according to Capasso. — Mark Lieber, CNN, "Using a CPAP machine can improve sex lives for some, study says," 24 May 2018 As Quartz’s Sarah Todd reports, the positive outcomes exhibited by those who resisted temptation included higher SAT scores and lower body mass index. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "Why Delayed Gratification in the Marshmallow Test Doesn’t Equal Success," 6 June 2018 In 2016, 30 percent of Pennsylvania adults were determined to be obese, with a body mass index of 30 or more, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. — Mari A. Schaefer, Philly.com, "Pennsylvanians are more active than the national average, but still overweight. How is that possible?," 28 June 2018 There are unfortunately no other terms that can accurately describe these specific medical conditions or health markers, as defined by body mass index, and used commonly in the scientific literature. — Carolyn Kylstra, SELF, "How Should a Health Brand Talk About Weight?," 25 June 2018 In the 2013-16 survey period, 39 percent were obese — defined as having a body mass index of 30 or above — including 8 percent who were severely obese, with a B.M.I. of 40 or more. — Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times, "Obesity Rates Higher in Country Than City," 21 June 2018 According to recent research, each meal eaten out is associated with a slight increase in body mass index (or BMI). — Samantha Cassetty, NBC News, "The healthiest things to eat at Panera Bread," 14 June 2018 In the study, researchers used data from an English health survey to analyze people who had a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher (which, despite the fact that BMI is a flawed measurement, is classified as overweight or obese). — refinery29.com, "FYI, Body Positivity Is Not "Dangerous" Or Bad For Your Health," 27 June 2018

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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8 Sep 2018

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The first known use of body mass index was in 1983

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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