Information

Things highlighted in red are things I added. Things in yellow are important points.

Measuring Body Mass Index The body mass index (BMI) is the measurement of body fat. It is derived by multiplying a person's weight in pounds by 703 and then dividing it twice by the height in inches. Your Weight * 703 / Your Height / Your Height = BMI 110 * 703 / 68 / 68 = 16.72  Your BMI

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A healthy BMI for women over age 20 is between 19 and 24. Those over 24 are considered to be at risk for health problems related to obesity. Those under 17.5 are considered to be at risk for health problems related to anorexia. (It should be noted that young teenagers can have lower BMIs without necessarily being anorexic.) However, I think they’re referring to younger as in 13-15ish. Either way, it’s not that big of a difference, and you’re still at least very close to the line.

For example, a woman who is 5'5" and weights 125 pounds has a healthy BMI of 21. A woman at the same height who weighs 90 pounds would have a dangerously low BMI of 15.

http://adam.about.com/reports/000049_9.htm

http://www.inch-aweigh.com/bmi.htm

Category

BMI range – Mass (weight) of a 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) BMI Prime 2 kg/m person with this BMI

Severely underweight

less than 16.5

less than 0.66

Underweight

from 16.5 to 18.5

from 0.66 to between 53.5 and 60 kilograms (8.42 and 0.74 9.45 st; 118 and 132 lb)

Normal

from 18.5 to 25

from 0.74 to between 60 and 81 kilograms (9.4 and 1.0 13 st; 130 and 180 lb)

Overweight

from 25 to 30

from 1.0 to between 81 and 97 kilograms (12.8 and 1.2 15.3 st; 180 and 210 lb)

Obese Class I

from 30 to 35

from 1.2 to between 97 and 113 kilograms (15.3 and 1.4 17.8 st; 210 and 250 lb)

Obese Class II

from 35 to 40

from 1.4 to between 113 and 130 kilograms (17.8 and 1.6 20.5 st; 250 and 290 lb)

Obese Class III

over 40

over 1.6

under 53.5 kilograms (8.42 st; 118 lb)

over 130 kilograms (20 st; 290 lb)

The units used on this chart are metric, but the BMI is still the same. 16.5 is severely underweight. Your BMI is 16.7. There are differing opinions on the threshold for being underweight in females; doctors quote anything from 18.5 to 20 as being the lowest weight, the most frequently stated being 19. A BMI nearing 15 is usually used as an indicator for starvation and the health risks involved, with a BMI <17.5 being an informal criterion for the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa. According to this, you could be informally diagnosed with anorexia.

This chart is based on age as well. Follow the line from 16 up to the lowest 3rd percentile and that’s about your BMI. A BMI that is less than the 5th percentile is considered underweight and above the 95th percentile is considered obese. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_index Severely underweight individuals may have poor physical stamina and a weak immune system, leaving them open to infection. According to Robert E. Black of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, "Underweight status ... and micronutrient deficiencies also cause decreases in immune and non-immune host defenses, and should be classified as underlying causes of death if followed by infectious diseases that are the terminal associated causes."[2] This means that being underweight can cause decreases in your body’s immune system, and underweightness is considered cause of death if an infectious disease kills you and you’re underweight.

In women, being grossly underweight can result in amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) and possible complications during pregnancy. It can also cause anemia and hair loss. Underweight is an established[3] risk factor for osteoporosis, even for young people. This is a particular insidious consequence, because the affected persons do not notice the danger, they can feel fit and may be brilliant for example in endurance sports. After the occurrence of first spontaneous fractures the damage is often already irreversible. Meaning, your bones could possibly be weak and brittle and easily broken for slight things in some occasions. This is one of the things a yearly check-up with a doctor could help you be aware of. During the checkup, the doctor tests for things like this, and if you have osteoporosis, this is the only way you’ll know until a fracture occurs and gives you a limp for life. If an individual is severely underweight to the point where problems with his or her health develop, it may be necessary for the person to make a concentrated effort to gain weight. The treatment for an underweight individual is to increase the food energy intake so that more food energy is consumed than is being used as work. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underweight

Is that enough? I can find more information. Just let me know. I really hope this convinces you. All of the above is taken from credible sources (Wikipedia takes it’s stuff from credible sources, and medical articles are constantly checked for accuracy). Call me when you read this. If I’m busy I’ll call you back as soon as possible. I want to talk about this. You know how we said sometimes it’s hard not to say that one thing? It’s hard right now, because I really want to express how much I care for you. But I know it’s not time yet. I do like you more than you can imagine, and I really hope this helps you-- I don’t hope it; I pray that it does.