Weight loss programs have gained immense popularity in the recent times with a growing proportion of the population turning obese. It is true that if a person is very overweight, it is often possible to refer to his obesity simply by looking at the individual’s external appearance as under such circumstances he is more likely to be bulky and fat. However, there are many who may be on the verge of being overweight but in these cases it is impossible to determine by simply noticing their external features. But it is absolutely true that it is always better to get rid of the ailment before it assumes grave proportions and therefore it would be easier for the individual to deal with his obesity if he is aware of its premonitions at an earlier stage so that it does not require him to undergo any form of rigorous practice and too much hardship. This is possible at present with the help of ascertaining the body mass index and on the basis of the body mass index or BMI as it is popularly known as, it is possible to determine whether one’s weight is normal or whether one is running the risk of being recognized as overweight or obese. In the field of the medical sciences, the term body mass index is used to define a measurement index in order to calculate the amount of fat in the human body. It was a Belgian anthropometrist and statistician named Adolphe Quetelet who for the first time conceptualized the concept of the body mass index between 1830 and 1850 and since then it has been considered as one of the foremost guidelines for dictating the proportionate weight of an individual’s body.
The body mass index or the BMI is reached at by dividing the weight of an individual with the square of his height. Since the body mass index is more often the most important determinant in the ascertaining of proper body weight a lot of responsibility and importance rests on it and there are certain calculations that have been arrived at upon extensive study which dictate these terms. A BMI below 18.5 is regarded as underweight while that measuring between 18.5 to 24.9 determines normal weight. With a BMI ranging from 25 to 29.9 a person may be noted as overweight. A BMI beyond 30 makes one fall in the obese category while beyond 40 one is referred to as morbidly obese.