BMI stands for body mass index, and this one of the anthropometric measurements that nurses collect (or calculate) during health assessments. BMI helps to screen for potential health problems.
In the BMI quiz below, you can test your knowledge on how to calculate BMI for a patient. Before taking this quiz on BMI, you might want to review our how to calculate BMI article, or watch our BMI calculation video.
BMI Quiz: Body Mass Index
BMI Quiz: Test Your Knowledge on Calculating BMI
1. Nurses must collect two important measurements before calculating a patient’s BMI. What are they?
a. Height and body fat percentage
b. Weight and body fat percentage
c. Height and weight
d. Body fat percentage and skinfold thickness
The answer is c, height and weight. Nurses must collect these measurements to calculate BMI properly.
2. When calculating BMI, the units must always be in imperial units only (pounds and inches).
a. True
b. False
The answer is b, false. You can use either imperial units (pounds and inches) or metric units (kilograms and meters) to calculate BMI. However, you will use a different formula for each method.
3. A BMI over 30 falls within which category, according to the CDC?
a. Obese
b. Healthy weight
c. Overweight
d. Underweight
The answer is a, obese. Less than 18.5 is underweight. A score of 18.5-24.9 is a health weight. A score of 25-29.9 is overweight, and a score of greater than 30 is considered obese by the CDC.
4. During a health assessment, you discover that a male patient weighs 170 pounds and is 5 feet and 9 inches tall. Calculate the patient’s BMI, and select the answer below. You may use a calculator, but do not round until the end. Round the BMI score to the first decimal place (tenths place).
a. 24.2
b. 27.5
c. 21.5
d. 25.1
The answer is d, 25.1. Since we are using the imperial system (pounds and inches), we must use the formula 703 X (weight in pounds / height in inches squared). First, convert 5 feet 9 inches into pure inches. There are 12 inches in one foot, so 12 X 5 = 60. Then add the extra 9 inches (since the patient was 5’9”). That gives us 69 inches, and when squared, gives us 4761. The weight (170) divided by inches squared (4761) gives us 0.0357067842890149. Finally, we multiply that by 703, which gives us 25.1 (rounded to the nearest tenth), which is the overweight category.
5. During a health assessment, you note that a female’s height is 1.6256 meters and her weight is 54 kilograms. What is her BMI? Use a calculator, but do not round your answer until the end. Then round your answer to the first decimal place.
a. 20.4
b. 21.6
c. 22.3
d. 24.1
The answer is a, 20.4. Since these are metric units, we use the following formula (weight in kg / height in meters squared). First, we square the height in meters. 1.6256 x 1.6256 gives us 2.64257536. Then, we divide the weight (54 kg) by that height squared number: 54 / 2.64257536 is 20.4 (rounded to the nearest tenth).
6. You use the same formulas (in either imperial or metric units) to calculate BMI, regardless of whether the patient is male or female, adult or child.
a. True
b. False
The answer is a, true. You can use the same formula (in either metric or imperial units) for male or female, adults or children. However, when you interpret the BMI results, the categories will be different for adults and children. Boys and girls have their own BMI charts published by the CDC, but adult male and females use the same BMI weight categories.
7. Which BMI formula would you use if a patient’s measurements are in pounds and inches?
a. BMI = 703 X (weight/height squared)
b. BMI = weight / height squared
c. BMI = Weight / height
d. None of the above
The answer is a. 703 X (weight / height squared), since you already have pounds and inches. This is the formula used with imperial units, and it is the same for adults and children, males and females.
8. Which BMI formula would you use if a patient’s measurements are in kilograms and meters?
a. BMI = 703 X (weight/height squared)
b. BMI = weight / height squared
c. BMI = Weight / height
d. None of the above
The answer is b, BMI = weight / height squared. Since you already have kilograms and meters, which are metric units, you’d use this formula.
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