How is body mass index (BMI) calculated?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used measurement that helps assess whether an individual has a healthy body weight relative to their height. It is calculated using the formula BMI = weight (kg) / height (m^2).

In this formula, weight is measured in kilograms (kg), and height is measured in meters (m). The height is squared to account for the relation between weight and body surface area, which is important for determining if a person falls within a certain BMI category such as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.

This calculation is significant in public health and clinical settings as it provides a simple method to categorize individuals based on body weight, aiding in identifying potential health risks associated with being underweight or overweight. The other methods listed would not yield a standard BMI calculation and may lead to inaccurate assessments of body weight relative to height.