Quetelet’s index

Body mass index (BMI) or Quetelet s Index. The BMI is (weight) / (height), and has the imits of kg/m. The BMI is a measure of total body fat. This method is commonly used by nutrition researchers, especially in epidemiological surveys. 

As an alternative to using tables of weight and height, it is possible to calculate a simple numerical index from height and weight, and to use this to establish acceptable ranges. The most commonly used such index is the body mass index (BMI), sometimes also called Quetelet s index, after Quetelet, who first demonstrated its usefulness in nutritional studies. 

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