A man weighs 72 kg and has a height of 160 cm. What is his Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Appeared in: Haryana CHO - 2022

Explanation

The formula for Body Mass Index (BMI) is weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters.
First, convert the height from centimeters to meters: 160 cm is equal to 1.6 meters.
Next, square the height in meters: 1.6 m × 1.6 m = 2.56 m².
Finally, divide the weight by the squared height: 72 kg / 2.56 m² = 28.125.
Rounding the result to the nearest whole number gives a BMI of 28.
A BMI of 28 falls within the 'Overweight' category, which ranges from 25.0 to 29.9.

Option A: This value is incorrect. It may result from an arithmetic error during calculation, such as incorrectly squaring the height or a mistake in the division.
Option C: This value is incorrect. A BMI of 30 marks the threshold for the 'Obese' category.
Option D: This value is significantly incorrect and falls well into the 'Obese' category.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Calculation and interpretation of Body Mass Index (BMI) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
BMI is a fundamental screening tool used in nursing to assess a patient's nutritional status and identify potential health risks associated with being underweight, overweight, or obese.
Nurses use BMI to initiate conversations about healthy weight management, diet, and exercise, and to screen for conditions like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, which are more common in overweight individuals.
What if? If the man's height was 170 cm instead of 160 cm, his BMI would be 72 / (1.7 * 1.7) = 24.9, placing him at the upper end of the 'Normal weight' category. This small change in height significantly alters his health risk classification.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the given data in the question: weight = 72 kg and height = 160 cm.
Recall the standard formula for calculating Body Mass Index (BMI): BMI = Weight (in kg) / [Height (in m)]².
Recognize that the height is given in centimeters and must be converted to meters. Divide the cm value by 100: 160 / 100 = 1.6 meters.
Perform the calculation in steps. First, square the height in meters: 1.6 × 1.6 = 2.56.
Next, divide the weight by the result from the previous step: 72 / 2.56 = 28.125.
Finally, compare the calculated BMI to the given options and select the one that is the closest match. In this case, 28.125 rounds to 28.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 67-69

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