Whether BMI falls within the range of obesity, or is counted as normal, overweight or underweight, plays a significant role in the risk for complications due to COVID-19. You can know which of these categories you fall into by calculating BMI.
How do you determine BMI?
BMI is calculated using body weight of the individual relative to the height.
To determine your BMI: take weight measured in pounds, divide weight by twice your height measured in inches. The obtained answer is to be multiplied by 703. For instance, a person is 6’7 inches tall, and has a weight of 180 pounds. So the calculation would be: 180 ÷ (67 x 67) x 703 = 28.18. This BMI would categorise the person as overweight. An online BMI calculator can also be used free of cost.
Reading BMI measurement
| Weight range | Category |
| 18.5 and below | Underweight |
| 18.5-24.9 | Normal |
| 25-29.9 | Overweight |
| 30-40 | Obesity |
| Above 40 | Severe obesity |
Having obesity could prove as a factor of risk for severe coronavirus and complications related to the disease. A greater risk is linked with severe obesity. However, being underweight could be equally dangerous. Data shows that underweight patients have 20 percent more chances of being hospitalised as compared to their peers having a normal weight, and have double the risk of death than patients facing obesity. People who are least exposed to the risk of virus complications fall under the upper end of normal range for BMI, or mildly overweight.
However, Body Mass Index isn’t always a very accurate measure for health. Higher BMI, often linked with weight stigma, may lead to even worse outcomes for health. Other factors such as age as well as fundamental health conditions also play a huge role in the risk of coronavirus, so it is not advised to rely only on BMI for assessment of risk. BMI calculator might not act as a perfect faultless indicator of an individual’s health risk. It is one of the several measurements for assessment of health risks.
Conclusion and health insurance net for Coronavirus
Health insurance when we consider this situation, can be very beneficial. It will give coverage against expenses which may be incurred for getting the required medical treatment. There exist a number of hospitalization expenses in availing treatment if you are to suffer from the virus. While the victim focuses on quick recovery, health insurance takes care of all the medical expenses along with pre-hospitalization, hospitalization as well as post-hospitalization charges. However, quarantine for only isolation without treatment needed is not considered.
Health insurance options available on Finserv MARKETS are a good option for this purpose as they offer cashless services across 6500+ network hospitals and plans offering extensive coverage.
