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

Participants were on average 34 years old with a body mass index (BMI) of 36.4. —Becky Upham, EverydayHealth.com, 14 Feb. 2025

Obesity Obesity, defined as an adult body mass index (BMI) greater than 30, is another potential cause of orthopnea. —Soma Mandal, Verywell Health, 4 Feb. 2025

Across a sample of nearly 17 million adults in a new JAMA Health Forum study, mean population body mass index grew from 2013 to 2021. —David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024

If needed, losing weight can be especially beneficial in improving blood sugar levels, Kim says - especially if your body mass index (BMI) is high. —Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 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