What does BMI stand for and what does it measure?

Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a widely used tool that measures body fat based on an individual’s height and weight. It is calculated by taking a person's weight in kilograms and dividing it by their height in meters squared. This measurement provides a numerical value that helps categorize individuals into different weight status categories, such as underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity.

BMI is valuable because it offers a simple methodology for estimating body fatness across large populations without the need for complex and expensive body composition techniques. It serves as a screening tool, but it's important to note that it doesn't directly measure body fat. Instead, it provides an estimate based on the correlation between height and weight. This is why option C accurately describes both what BMI stands for and what it measures.