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

On the whole, the women who watched more TV tended to be older, were more likely to be smokers or drinkers, consumed more calories and had higher body mass index scores than women who watched less TV. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 22 June 2024

The advice: For doctors to refer children and teens with a high body mass index to programs that can guide them on healthy eating, exercise and understanding food labels. —Jamie Ross, Washington Post, 19 June 2024

Tackling obesity: To help children with a high body mass index, experts recommend behavioral intervention — but not weight-loss drugs. —Daniel Wine, CNN, 18 June 2024

For example, body mass index (BMI) can have an effect on the menstrual cycle, with obesity raising the risk of early puberty in girls. —Devika Rao, theweek, 10 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

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

Medical Definition

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

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