Chapter 1:

Describing Data
Lesson 3: More on Variation in Data: The Body Mass Index
TIME FRAME: 1 hour session
OVERVIEW OF LESSON
In this activity, students conduct an investigation to determine their Body Mass Index (BMI) thru
actual measurements of their heights and weights. Students will then discuss categorical
descriptions of BMI: underweight, normal, overweight and obese. Students will also identify
explanations regarding their weight statuses, and discuss measurement errors in determining
these weight status categories.
LEARNING OUTCOME(S): At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to

define the Body Mass Index,

recognize measurement issues in data collection for BMI, and
summarize data generated from the data collection exercise.

LESSON OUTLINE:
1. Introduction/Motivation on Height and Weight Measurements, and the Body Mass Index
2. Data Collection Activity
3. Data Analysis
DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON
(A) Introduction/Warm Up

Inform students that data on heights and weights are regularly collected by schools, and by
the governments Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), a bureau of the Department
of Science and Technology. The FNRI generates estimates on the extent of child malnutrition
using three indicators of malnutrition: underweight, wasted or stunted. When a childs weight
is below three standard deviations from the median weight-for-age, the child is said to be
severely underweight, while if the weight is lower than two standard deviations from the
growth standard but higher than three standard deviations, then the child is moderately
underweight. Similarly, (moderate and severe) wasting and stunting are respectively, defined
in terms of the child growth standards on weight-for-height and height-for-age, respectively.
FNRI estimates that in 2013, about one in five children aged 0 to 5 years were underweight,
about three in ten had stunted growth. Wastingor low weight-for-heightwas estimated at
7.9 percent. Incidents of malnutrition were high among those under the poorest 20 percent of
families: underweight (29.8 percent), stunting (44.8 percent), and wasting (9.5 percent).
Malnutrition is thus related to poverty. The percentage of overweight children was highest
among the "wealthiest" (10.7 percent).
Chapter 1 Describing Data Lesson 3 Page 1
 Figur

50
40
30
20
10

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Year

Stunting
Underweight Stunting
Underwe Wasting
ight

e 1. Prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting among 0-5 years old preschoolers
in the Philippines, 1989-2013.
Source: FNRI

When children under five are experiencing malnutrition, they are likely to carry this over to
early childhood, which has repercussions on learning achievements in school. In
consequence, government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development, as
well as the Department of Education (DepED), has developed feeding programs to reduce
hunger, to aid in the development of children, to improve nutritional status and to promoting
good health, as well as to reduce inequities by encouraging families to send their children to
school given the incentive of being provided school feeding.

School records of heights and weights are thus regularly collected by DepED at the
beginning and end of the school year to monitor nutrition of school-aged children.

(B) Lesson Proper: The Body Mass Index

Data on heights and weights can also be transformed into a Body-Mass Index (BMI), a
numerical value derived from the mass (weight) and height of an individual.
Note: The BMI, devised by Adolphe Quetelet, is defined as the body mass divided by the
square of the body height, and is universally expressed in units of kg/m2, resulting from
weight in kilograms and height in meters. When the term BMI is used informally, the units
are usually omitted.

Chapter 1 Describing Data Lesson 3 Page 2

 A high BMI can be an indicator of high body fatness. The BMI can be used to screen for
weight categories that may lead to health problems.
The BMI provides a simple numeric measure of a person's thickness or thinness, allowing
medical and health professionals to discuss weight problems more objectively with the adult
patients. The standard weight status categories associated with BMI ranges for adults are
listed below:

BMI range Weight Status Health Risk

Below 18.5 Underweight Risk of developing problems
such as nutritional deficiency
and osteoporosis
18.5 -22.9 Normal or Healthy Weight Low Risk (healthy range)
23.0-27.4 Overweight Moderate risk of developing
heart disease, high blood
pressure, stroke, diabetes
27.5 and above Obese High risk of developing heart
disease, high blood pressure,
stroke, diabetes

For adults, a BMI from 18.5 up to 23 indicates optimal weight, while a BMI lower than 18.5
suggests that the person is underweight, a number from 23 up to 30 indicates that the person
is overweight, and a number from 30 upwards suggests the person is obese. Note that the
threshold 23 and 27.5 are used for South East Asians, as per suggestion of the World Health
Organization (WHO), though generally 25 and 30 are used.
Caution: Students must be warned that BMI of students must not be used for teasing.
Special Notes about interpreting BMI:
(a) many but not all athletes have a high muscle to fat ratio and may have a BMI that is
misleadingly high relative to their body fat percentage. Exceptions also can be made for
the elderly, and the infirm.
(b) for children and teens, the interpretation of BMI depends upon age and sex, even though
it is computed using the same formula. This difference in interpretation is due to the
variability in the amount of body fat with age and between girls and boys, among
children and teens. Instead of comparison against fixed thresholds for underweight and
overweight, the BMI is compared against the percentile for children of the same gender
and age. A BMI that is less than the 5th percentile is considered underweight and above
the 95th percentile is considered obese. Children with a BMI between the 85th and 95th
percentile are considered to be overweight.
(c) there are other limitations in the interpretation of BMI.
a. Since the BMI depends upon weight and the square of height, it ignores the basic
scaling law which states that mass increases to the 3rd power of linear
dimensions. Thus, taller individuals, even if they had exactly the same body shape
and relative composition, always have a larger BMI

Chapter 1 Describing Data Lesson 3 Page 3

 b. BMI also does not account for body frame size; a person may have a small frame
and be carrying more fat than optimal, but the BMI may suggest that these people
are normal. A large framed individual may be quite healthy with a fairly low body
fat percentage, but the BMI may yield an overweight classification.

(C) Break out Group Exercise:

For 15 minutes, instruct students to work in groups of threes. In these groups, students
should weigh themselves and measure their height twice. The average of the two recorded
measures shall be considered the final height/weight measure for each student. Tell groups to
record everything in Activity Sheet 2, and to calculate their BMIs using the final height and
weight measures.
For 10 minutes, ask students to talk about their specific BMI within their groups, and how
they are categorized. Let students discuss
(a) what are the possible reasons for falling into their categories (e.g. genetic, diets, etc.)
(b) some issues on measurement (errors in determining heights, errors in determining
weights, calculation errors). Ask students if the average height and weight measurement
is exactly what they provided in Activity Sheet 2 Note for Teacher: measurement errors
arise from the inaccuracies with measuring device, and biases in person recording
measurement
(c) possible protocols to minimize height measurement and weight measurement errors
Note: Students should be given specific instructions not to use BMIs as a mechanism for
teasing those who do not fall into normal weight categories. Students should not divulge BMI
information of their groupmates to others.
(D) Explore: Summarizing the Data and Interpreting the Results
Form bigger groups by having three groups merge so that the class will be having groups of
about nine students. Ask students to summarize information generated (from the 9 students in
the big groups).
They may come up with a frequency table, a graph of the frequency distribution, and some
summary measures of the BMI values.
The teacher should compile the data from all students into a class database of actual heights
and weights, and add these extra data in Class Recording Sheet 1b (in Lesson 1)
Note to Teacher: It would be most preferable if the students input the data generated from the
big groups into a spreadsheet application (e.g. Excel), and that this is conducted in a
computer laboratory with students generating graphs and summaries using computers.
KEY POINTS

Body mass index (BMI) is the ratio of ones height (in meters) to the square of ones weight
(in kg)
BMI provides a means to identify weight status (underweight, normal, overweight, obese)
Chapter 1 Describing Data Lesson 3 Page 4
 There are some limitations on the use of BMI for categorizing weight status

REFERENCES

http://www.nourishinteractive.com/nutrition-education/teachers-lesson-plans/2-kids-
nutrition-bmi-lesson-plans-teaching-children-healthy-body-mass-index
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/NR/rdonlyres/2DB7E661-01CA-47CF-B639-
9A9B88F35809/6119/ToolKitLesson4.pdf
BMI (Body Mass Index) Introduction, History and BMI Explanation on Youtube
Calculatorhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kuCuBjoXmE

ACTIVITY SHEET 1-03.

1. In the following sheet, list all student numbers of all students who are part of the group; get
two measures of everyones heights (using tape measures) and weights (using weighing scales).

Height (in meters) Weight (in kg) BMI Weight

Measurement Measurement Average Measurement Measurement Average
Student 1 2 1 2 Status
Numbe (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (3)/(6)^2

2. Identify

(a) possible reasons for falling into their weight status categories

(b) some issues on measurement (Are the average height and weight measurements exactly
what you provided in Activity Sheet 1b?)

(c) protocols to minimize height measurement and weight measurement errors

Chapter 1 Describing Data Lesson 3 Page 5

Chapter 1 Describing Data Lesson 3 Page 6
3. Obtain all the nine BMI values in your bigger group and provide a summary of the BMIs
(e.g. frequency tables, graphs of the frequency distribution, or some summary measures of the
BMI values):

Chapter 1 Describing Data Lesson 3 Page 7