1. What are BSA and BMI?

BSA (Body Surface Area) is a measurement of the total surface area of the human body, commonly used in medical calculations. BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses these formulas:

Where:

• \( W \) — Weight in kilograms (kg)
• \( H_{cm} \) — Height in centimeters (cm) for BSA calculation
• \( H_m \) — Height in meters (m) for BMI calculation

Explanation: BSA is calculated using the Mosteller formula, while BMI is calculated by dividing weight by the square of height.

3. Importance of BSA and BMI

Details: BSA is important for medication dosing, chemotherapy regimens, and other medical calculations. BMI is widely used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kg, height in cm for BSA calculation, and height in meters for BMI calculation. All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What are normal BSA values?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women, but varies with body size.

Q2: What are the BMI categories?
A: Underweight (<18.5), Normal (18.5-24.9), Overweight (25-29.9), Obese (≥30).

Q3: Why are different height units used?
A: BSA traditionally uses cm while BMI uses meters, following standard medical conventions for each calculation.

Q4: Are there limitations to these measures?
A: BMI doesn't distinguish between muscle and fat. BSA doesn't account for body composition. Both should be interpreted in clinical context.

Q5: Which is better for medication dosing?
A: BSA is typically used for chemotherapy and other medications where body surface is important for distribution.