Understanding Your BMI Result

Adult BMI Categories

• Underweight: Less than 18.5
• Healthy range: 18.5 – 24.9
• Overweight: 25.0 – 29.9
• Obesity: 30.0 or higher

These categories are widely used by international health organisations for population-level screening.

What BMI Can Tell You

• Identifies risk trends related to excess or low body weight
• Helps in early prevention of lifestyle-related diseases
• Useful for tracking weight changes over time

Higher BMI levels are associated with increased risk of:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Fatty liver disease
• Certain cancers

What BMI Cannot Tell You

BMI has important limitations:

• It does not measure body fat directly
• It cannot distinguish between fat, muscle, or bone mass
• It does not show where fat is stored
• It may misclassify very muscular individuals or older adults
• It does not reflect metabolic health

Why BMI Needs Careful Interpretation in Indians

South Asians, including Indians, tend to:

• Develop abdominal (visceral) fat at lower BMI values
• Show diabetes and heart disease risk earlier
• Have lower muscle mass for the same BMI compared to Western populations

This means cardiometabolic risk may begin even when BMI appears “normal.”

Go Beyond BMI: What Else Matters

For a more accurate health assessment, BMI should be interpreted along with:

• Waist circumference or waist-to-height ratio
• Blood sugar levels
• Blood pressure
• Lipid profile
• Physical activity and diet patterns
• Family history of diabetes or heart disease

These factors together provide a truer picture of risk.

If Your BMI Is Outside the Healthy Range

Early action makes a powerful difference.

Evidence shows that:

• 5–7% weight reduction
• Regular physical activity
• Improved diet quality
• Better sleep and stress management

can significantly reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease—even before medications are needed.

A Preventive Perspective

BMI is best viewed as a starting point, not a verdict.

The goal is not weight alone, but long-term metabolic health, functional fitness, and disease prevention.

If your BMI is elevated—or if you have additional risk factors—seek a personalised health evaluation rather than relying on numbers alone.

Key Takeaway

• BMI screens risk
• Health assessment completes the story
• Prevention works best when started early