Name:

Section:

PHBS 107: Laboratory Activity 4

BODY MASS INDEX

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters.
A high BMI can be an indicator of high body fatness. BMI can be used to screen for weight
categories that may lead to health problems, but it is not diagnostic of the body fatness or health
of an individual. BMI is an inexpensive and easy screening method for weight category—
underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obesity. BMI does not measure body fat directly,
but BMI is moderately correlated with more direct measures of body fat. Furthermore, BMI
appears to be as strongly correlated with various metabolic and disease outcome as are these
more direct measures of body fatness.

Procedure
General: Choose 3 representative in your family member or any person residing in your location
and record their BMI on paper (DO NOT INCLUDE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE IN MEDICATION
OR WITH CO-EXISTING DISORDER)

1. Place a measuring scale on the wall and measure standing height (stature). First obtain a
measurement by placing a ruler or book on the head’s vertex and reading its
intersection with the measurement scale. Repeat the above measurement, but this time
use a triangle headboard. Record both measurements.
2. Use a digital scale to obtain body weight. Be sure to remove shoes and to stand quietly
in the middle of the scale. Record the weight measurement.
3. The body mass index score can be calculated using the equation to the right, and
following sample calculation:
Bright Vachirawit is a 24 y/o adult man who weighs 145 lb and is 72 in tall. Calculate
Bright’s BMI

 Convert pounds to kilograms by dividing pounds by 2.2

 Convert height in inches to height in meters by multiplying inches by 0.0254
 Solve the BMI equation by algebraic substitution (the unit must be in kg/m 2)
4. Record stature, weight, BMI, and nutritional status and disease risk based on
BMI.
5. On a blank sheet of paper, record BMI, age, and gender; do not include your name. Gather
the papers and compile a list of individual scores, ages, and genders
6. Enter data from the list and calculate the class mean for BMI and for disease risk. To
calculate the class’s disease risk mean, enter the risk classification based on the and then
convert the risk to a numerical level:
Underweight/Increased = 2
Healthy weight/Average = 1
Overweight/Increased = 2
Obesity (Class I)/High = 3
Obesity (Class II)/Very High = 4
Extreme Obesity (Class III)/Extremely High = 5
Name: Date:
Gender: Age:
Body weight:
Height:

STEP 1

 Calculate your BMI

BMI = body weight in kg / height in m2 =

STEP 2

 Determine your nutritional status using the CDC guidelines

CDC Classification =
STEP 3

 Determine your disease risk

This classification and its numeric equivalent
Disease Risk Classification =

STEP 4:

 Summarized the data collected

PARTICIPANT BMI DISEASE RISK RISK LEVEL

CLASSIFICATION
1.

2.

3.
Application questions
1. Why do we need to BMI? (should not exceed 75 words)
2. What factors affect BMI (should not exceed 100 words)
3. What are the conditions that can be evaluated by BMI?
4. Discuss disease risk mean and its significance regarding developing future health
problems.
5. Explain why pharmacist must conduct BMI? (should not exceed 100 words)