How low should the BMI be for classifying someone as anorexic?

BMI refers to the relationship between a person’s height and weight. Your BMI is used to determine whether your weight above, at, or below normal standards for your height and weight. Healthy adults have a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9. A low BMI indicates that there is a problem, especially in adults. A BMI below 17.5, especially, in adults is a big indicator that the person is an anorexic.


While a very low BMI is an indicator of whether someone is anorexic, there are other more obvious symptoms. The person usually appears very thin, but they become vulnerable to other conditions like low muscle mass and they might lose their hair.

Both men and women suffer from low electrolyte balances, liver and kidney issues, and thyroid problems all result from the malnourishment that comes from self-starvation. These problems can create other complications, and for this reason, getting the person to adopt healthy eating habits through counseling is important to getting the person to gain weight in a way that does not place stress on the body.