BMI Primer
Know the facts about body mass index
Body Mass Index is an indicator of a person’s body fatness but does not measure body fat directly.
BMI is a screening tool, not a diagnostic tool. Further assessments are needed to diagnose medical problems in patients.
To calculate your BMI, divide your weight (in pounds) by your height (in inches) squared, then multiply that number by 703 (see provided example).
A body mass index of 25 or higher is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.
BMI measurements do not take body type or muscle mass into account, sometimes causing skewed results.
Though some groups have advocated using BMI as a tool to gauge whether truckers may be at risk for certain ailments such as sleep apnea, BMI currently does not affect CDL medical certification.
BMI calculation for a person who is 5’10” (70″) and 200 pounds:
70 x 70 = 4900
200/4900 = .0408
.0408 x 703 = 28.68
According to the standard BMI chart, this person is overweight.
