body mass index

American  

[bod-ee mas in-deks] / ˈbɒd i ˌmæs ˌɪn dɛks /

noun

1. an index for assessing overweight and underweight, obtained by dividing body weight in kilograms by height in meters squared: a measure of 25 or more is considered overweight.

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body mass index British  

noun

1.  BMI.  an index used to indicate whether a person is over- or underweight. It is obtained by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres. An index of 20–25 is normal

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body mass index Scientific  

/ bŏd′ē /

1. A measurement of the relative percentages of fat and muscle mass in the human body, in which weight in kilograms is divided by height in meters squared. The result is used as an index of obesity.

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Etymology

Origin of body mass index

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

The decision, which was made on Jan. 6 and announced Friday, applies to patients with a body mass index of at least 30, it said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Under current NHS guidelines, patients must have a body mass index of 40 or higher and also have multiple related health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, to qualify for Mounjaro.

From Science Daily

People who were overweight or obese and smoked were especially vulnerable, as e-cigarette users with a higher body mass index had worse outcomes than those at a normal weight.

From Science Daily

After accounting for variables such as age, body mass index, and smoking, the researchers found that people with both gum disease and cavities had an 86% greater risk of stroke than those with healthy mouths.

From Science Daily

If the country were successful in lowering high body mass index levels and high blood sugar levels during the same three decades, it could prevent 1.4 million people from dying.

From Science Daily