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If you or someone you know is an IT professional in the United States, then there’s a 46% chance that they’re overweight or obese.  Don’t let yourself or someone you care about be a part of this ugly statistic.  Utilize the BMI formula to calculate your body mass index to find if you’re overweight.

Unfortunately, around 60 percent of Americans are overweight, and if you are one of them, you know how difficult it can be to get that extra weight off and keep it off. Many people do not even realize that they are overweight, and one good way to determine how much extra weight you are carrying and whether you need to lose it, is to calculate your body mass index, or BMI.

The concept of measuring body mass compared to height and weight has been around for well over 100 years. The idea was devised by the Belgian scientist, Adolphe Quetelet sometime around 1840. There are eight levels, ranging from very severely underweight to severely obese, and although the method is not foolproof, it has become accepted as a reliable and accurate method of measuring excess weight. Since the 1908s, it has been regarded by the World Health Organization as the standard for measuring and determining obesity.

The BMI provides a fairly accurate determination of how much you should weigh, based on your height and it is easily calculated as follows. Firstly, find your weight in pounds and then multiply that number by 703. That figure should then be divided by your height in inches; finally, divide that figure again by your height in inches. As an example, if you are a man weighing 220 pounds, and with a height of six feet, (72 inches)your BMI is 29, meaning that you are overweight, although not obese. As a general rule, if you have a body mass index higher than 20, it is cause for alarm and immediate steps should be taken to lose weight.

Despite the fact that the method of measuring body mass index is reliable for most people, there are some exceptions to the rule. The calculations should not generally be used for children, unless the results are compared with children of the same sex and age. They are not always accurate for the elderly, as a slightly higher number is recommended for older people, in order to help minimize the chance of developing osteoporosis. In addition, many bodybuilders who strive to develop as much muscle as possible, often have a higher BMI, because muscle tends to weigh more than fat.

Of course, there are also various other factors which contribute to weight gain, and should be taken into consideration when determining just how overweight someone is. Blood sugar levels and blood pressure can affect a person’s weight, as can their overall diet and the amount of regular physical exercise they are getting. Differences in bone density can also affect the weight, as can varying proportions of fat, cartilage and water weight. Smoking and drinking can also lead to unhealthy weight gain.

One of the biggest advantages of using the BMI is that it can easily be determined with no expensive or complicated equipment or techniques; all you really need is your height and weight. Like all statistical figures, it is perhaps better used in conjunction with other measurements and observations.