Bio Lab 3

Nkosi Jupiter Lab #3 11th October, 2018
Title: Body Mass Index

Aim: To calculate and compare body mass index.
Introduction:
BMI is used as a screening tool to indicate whether a person is underweight, overweight, obese or
a healthy weight for their height. If a person's BMI is out of the healthy BMI range, their health
risks may increase significantly. (The MNT Editorial Team, 2016)
According to The MNT Editorial Team (2016), The Quetelet Index was devised by Adolphe
Quetelet, a Belgian mathematician, astronomer and statistician, in 1832. It was later termed "body
mass index" in 1972 by Ancel Keys. BMI is a simple, inexpensive and noninvasive surrogate
measure of body fat. Factors such as age, sex, ethnicity and muscle mass are not accounted for in
BMI. For adults 20 years and older, BMI is interpreted by using standard weight status categories
that are the same for all ages, and for both men and women. BMI is a reasonable indicator of body
fat for both adults and children.
Materials/ Apparatus: Meter Stick, Scale, Calculator and 10 Persons
Method:
1. Measure and record each person’s height using a meter stick.
2. Measure and record each person’s weight by using a scale in kilograms.
3. Calculate each person’s BMI by using formula below:
4. Complete the data table.
5. Find the average for all the BMIs calculated and state the category each person is in.
Results
Person Height (m) Weight (kg) BMI Category
1 1.78 76.6 24.2 Normal
2 1.75 56.5 18.4 Underweight
3 1.65 57.4 21.1 Normal
4 1.72 63.5 21.5 Normal
5 1.72 86.2 29.1 Overweight
6 1.65 52.3 19.2 Normal
7 1.63 46.5 17.5 Underweight
8 1.80 81.8 25.2 Overweight
9 1.66 50.8 18.4 Underweight
10 1.62 78.5 29.9 Overweight
Total BMI 224.5
Average 22.5
Table 1: Table Showing Results from the Experiment

BMI Categories
Less than 18.5 Underweight
Between 18.5 – 24.9 Normal
Between 25.0 – 29.9 Overweight
Between 30.0 – 34.9 Obese (class 1)
Between 35.0 – 39.9 Moderately Obese (class 2)
Over 40.0 Seriously obese (class 3)
Table 2: Table Showing the Categories of BMI

Treatment of Results
BMI = Weight (kg) / [Height (meters)] ²
BMI of Person 1 = 76.6 / 1.78² = 24.2 kgm⁻² BMI of Person 6 = 52.3 / 1.65² = 19.2 kgm⁻²
Average BMI = Total BMI / 10

Average BMI = 224.5 kgm⁻² / 10
Average BMI = 22.5 kgm⁻²
BMI of Persons
35
30
25
20
15
10
0
Person 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Person 5 Person 6 Person 7 Person 8 Person 9 Person 10
BMI
Figure 1: Bar Graph showing BMI of Persons

Discussion
Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on your weight in relation to your height,
and applies to most adult men and women aged 20 and over. For children aged 2 and over, BMI
percentile is the best assessment of body fat. [Keys A, Fidanza F, Karvonen MJ, Kimura N, Taylor
HL (1972)]. The BMI is an attempt to quantify the amount of tissue mass (muscle, fat, and bone)
in an individual, and then categorize that person as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or
obese based on that value. That categorization is the subject of some debate about where on the
BMI scale the dividing lines between categories should be placed. (Malcolm Kendrick, 2015).
BMI helps to classify an individual in different categories. The categories ranges from
Underweight to Seriously Obese. Underweight persons have a BMI that is less than 18.5 kgm⁻².
Normal BMI is between the range of 18.5 kgm⁻² and 24.9 kgm⁻². Overweight BMI is between the
range of 25.0 kgm⁻² and 29.9 kgm⁻². Obese (Class 1) is between the range 30.0 kgm⁻² and 34.9
kgm⁻². Moderately Obese (Class 2) is between the range of 35.0 kgm⁻² and 39.9 kgm⁻². Seriously
Obese is above 40.0 kgm⁻². From the graph plotted, they were three underweight persons, four
persons had normal weight and three persons were overweight. The reason persons may be
underweight or overweight may be an inadequate exercise or improper intake of nutrients. This
can be fixed by a proper diet and adequate exercise.
The MNT Editorial Team, (2016) had stated that experts have expressed uncertainty about relying
too heavily on BMI, stressing that it is not an accurate measure of body fat or health. BMI fails to
take age and sex into account. Women naturally tend to have more body fat than men of equal
BMI, while older people tend to have more body fat than younger people with the same BMI.
Individuals who are very muscular such as bodybuilders or those that have very little muscle
definition may not receive an accurate BMI reading by using height and weight measurements
alone. Muscle weighs more than fat. Hence a muscular person may appear to have a higher BMI
and be perfectly healthy, or a frail, inactive person may appear to have a lower BMI and in reality
have more body fat than is healthy. BMI also does not account for lactating or pregnant women,
children and teenagers who have not reached physical maturity and are still growing, and a
tendency for natural differences in height and weight ratios between races.
Limitations
1. Person’s shoes may have not been removed before taking height and weight.
2. Persons may have not been standing upright and remaining relaxed while taking their
height was being measured.
3. Persons may had additional objects on them that may increase their weight.
Reference
1. The MNT Editorial Team, (2016)

BMI (Body Mass Index)
Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/obesity/what-is-bmi.php
2. Malcolm Kendrick (2015)
WHY BEING 'OVERWEIGHT' MEANS YOU LIVE LONGER: THE WAY

SCIENTISTS TWIST THE FACTS
Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-

families/features/why-being-overweight-means-you-live-longer-the-way-scientists-twist-
the-facts-10158229.html
3. Keys A, Fidanza F, Karvonen MJ, Kimura N, Taylor HL (July 1972)
Indices of relative weight and obesity
Retrieved from Journal of Chronic Diseases. 25 (6): 329–343

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Nkosi Jupiter Lab #3 11th October, 2018

Title: Body Mass Index

Table 1: Table Showing Results from the Experiment

Table 2: Table Showing the Categories of BMI

Average BMI = Total BMI / 10

Figure 1: Bar Graph showing BMI of Persons

1. The MNT Editorial Team, (2016)

WHY BEING 'OVERWEIGHT' MEANS YOU LIVE LONGER: THE WAY

Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-

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