Definition of 'body mass index'

body mass index

singular noun

A person's body mass index is a measurement that represents the relationship between their weight and their height.

[medicine]

...those with a body mass index of 30 and over.

body mass index in British

noun

an index used to indicate whether a person is over- or underweight. It is obtained by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres. An index of 20–25 is normal

Abbreviation: BMI

body mass index in American

a meaurement used to estimate body fat and classify persons as being underweight, overweight, or normal: it is calculated by dividing weight (in kilograms) by the square of height (in meters)

Example sentences containing 'body mass index'

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

It found these were directly linked to the rise in figures recording people 's body mass index. The Sun (2014)This raises the question of whether their height affects their body mass index, which is used to determine obesity. Times, Sunday Times (2014)

Nearby words of 'body mass index'

Source

Definition of body mass index from the Collins English Dictionary

Can and could

Both these verbs indicate ability in some respect. The use of could is usual in clauses that contain a reference to past time. Morag can speak French quite well now. I couldn’t play chess two y...