What’s a healthy weight? – Math/Chart-Reading Skills
Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and a healthy weight depends on an individual’s height, age, sex, and fitness level. The most reliable tool doctors use to determine if a person is under- or overweight is the Body-Mass Index, or BMI. The BMI is a mathematical formula that uses a ratio to express the relationship between a person’s height and weight.
To calculate your BMI, divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches. Divide the results by your height in inches again and then multiply by 703. Plot your BMI by age on one of the charts below to find out if your body fat falls within a normal range. For example, a 14-years-old female who weighs 125 pounds anal is 5’5″ has a BMI of 20.8. According to the chart, her weight is within a normal range. Remember, BMI may overestimate body fat in athletes with a muscular build. Pound for pound, muscle weighs more than fat.
IS YOUR WEIGHT IN THE HEALTHY ZONE?
To find out, calculate your body-mass index, or BMI, and plot it on one of the two graphs below. The BMI is a mathematical formula that uses a ratio to express the relationship between height and weight.
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Directions: Answer the questions below in complete sentences.
1. If a 12-year-old female has a BMI of 19, is she overweight? If not, where is her range?
2. According to the chart, beginning at approximately what BMI is a 14-year-old boy considered overweight?
3. What’s the BMI of someone who’s 5’3″ and weighs 120 pounds?
4. If the person in question three is a 10-year-old boy, which range is he in? If the person is a female, which range is she in?
ANSWERS
1. No, she’s not overweight. She’s average.
2. A 14-year-old boy with a BMI above 26 is considered overweight.
3. The BMI is 21.3.
4. The boy is at risk. The girl is at risk.
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