Brandy Burns

SLM521

Drop In #3

Calculating Body Mass Index

Calculating Your Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is a good way to interpret your overall health. It is important to have the ability to have a baseline on which you can judge your health on your own, without having to go to a doctor or a trainer. Learning how to calculate your own BMI and understanding it's importance is a key element of taking control of your personal well-being. Using the internet and other tools, we will learn:

What is BMI?

How does one calculate BMI?

Interpret a chart using your BMI.

Discuss and evaluate the results as a class.

Follow the directions and record your answers on the worksheet provided.

1. Learn about your BMI by clicking here. You will find a brief explanation of BMI. Define BMI on your worksheet.

2. Work with a partner to compute both of your BMI's.

BMI is calculated using this formula. Please use the standard form, in inches. Calculate your BMI.

Please use the measuring tapes provided and use your last known weight. If you are unsure or want more accuracy, I have a scale you may use.

Record both of your BMI's on the worksheet.

3. Now that you have a value of your BMI, let's interpret it from the chart using percentiles:

(Remember to use the appropriate chart, BOY or GIRL)

4. In what percentile do you fall? Record in #4.

(both from www.texasheartinstitute.org)

1. Online, there are many different tools available for computing BMI. We can also use a BMI calculator. Remember, this calculator is for teens, so it does not apply to people over the age of 20.

2. Were your numbers similar using the calculator online? What can you attribute to any differences? Why do you think such tools as these calculators are available online?

3. Now we are going to learn why it is important to use the appropriate charts and formulas for our age group. Please click here and scroll down to the part "What is BMI"

Read the whole page, taking notice to the charts especially.

Discuss with your partner the benefits of using BMI versus other methods.

Record TWO of these reasons in #7a and 7b.

Discuss with your partner the reasons why BMI charts are different for teens and adults.

List 1 reason on your worksheet. Record your answer in the #7c.

Under the subtitle "What is a BMI Percentile," record the category in which you fall in the #7d blank.

Great Work!

Now for tomorrow's class, bring in some ideas that could help a teen get into a healthier BMI percentile, as well as those behaviors that would make a teen less healthy. Please feel free to use the sites we looked at today for suggestions. If you use another site, bring it in so that we may all use it if necessary! We will be discussing your ideas in class as long as the answers to the questions today.