Donna Sweet, M.D.Professor of Internal Medicine
University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.My doctor recently told me that I should have my BMI taken.
What is body mass index (BMI)?
Why should an HIV positive person care about it?
How often should BMI be measured?
What can I do to change my current BMI?
What value of BMI should I or anyone else for that matter try to achieve?
Donna Sweet, M.D.
Professor of Internal Medicine
University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita
Listing this as you have asked your question:
1) Your BMI is a number derived from your height and weight (based on a table)
2) The BMI is a marker of appropriate weight, so an HIV+ person needs to know, just as everyone does, if they are obese or too thin.
3) In my practice, I weigh each patient at every visit and we discuss weight at each visit if it is an issue for that individual.
4) Since BMI is based on weight, you can make it go up with weight gain and down with weight loss.
5) Body mass index (BMI) is categorized by the International Obesity Task Force as:
0601219
ASKD061206
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