Some people tend to almost obsess over their Body Mass Index (BMI). They use it to set weight or fitness goals and may even label themselves as obese or overweight based on this basic calculation. Unfortunately, the BMI calculation (which represents a ratio of our weight and height) was not intended to be used in this manner. Its creator, a mathematician named Adolphe Quetelet, came up with BMI as a way to reflect average height and weight for a given population back in 1832.
Recent studies have revealed its limitations and inaccuracies as a measure of a healthy weight.
The Limitations of Body Mass Index
BMI provides a quick snapshot of a person’s weight relative to their height.
But it fails to consider various factors that contribute to overall health.
One major flaw of BMI is its inability to differentiate between fat and muscle.
For instance, athletes or people with higher muscle mass may be classified as overweight or obese based on BMI calculations, despite being in excellent physical shape.
Another flaw of BMI is that it does not factor in other critical considerations, such as age, sex, and race, which may influence our overall Body Mass Index.
Body Mass Index Alternatives
We’re now being advised to not rely solely on BMI as a way to determine a healthy weight.
Instead, it’s now believed we should consider other measurements that provide a more accurate assessment of body composition and health.
Body Fat Percentage
Measuring body fat percentage provides a more comprehensive understanding of your overall health.
This assessment takes into account the amount of fat in our body relative to our total weight.
Unlike Body Mass Index, it considers factors such as muscle mass and distribution, providing a more accurate representation of our body composition.
Waist Circumference
Another useful indicator is waist circumference, which measures the amount of fat around our waist.
Excess abdominal fat is associated with an increased risk of various health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes.
Therefore, monitoring our waist circumference can be a valuable tool in assessing our health status.
Health Markers that are Better than Body Mass Index
In addition to physical measurements, it is essential to consider other health markers such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels.
These indicators provide a more comprehensive evaluation of our overall health.
Specifically, they may help identify potential risks or areas to target for improvement in our diet.
Let’s Stamp Out Body Mass Index (BMI) Misinformation
While Body Mass Index has been widely used as a measure of healthy weight, it has significant limitations that shouldn’t be ignored.
Having a high BMI does not equate to being unhealthy, and having a low BMI does not mean you are fit.
It’s important to recognize this. Using BMI as a means of success can lead to inappropriate goals and frustrations.
In fact, scientists and health experts now recommend we disregard BMI as an independent indicator of health and fitness.
Rather, we should simply consider BMI as a single data point and place more emphasis on a variety of measures that more closely and comprehensively reflect our health.
Thank you as always for reading.
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Joan Senio is the founder of KindCompassCoach. Her career includes 20+ years as a health care executive and 15 years (and counting) as a consultant. The common thread through Joan’s professional life has been a commitment to lead, mentor and coach current and future leaders, and women from all walks of life. KindCompassCoach provides information and advice grounded in Joan’s personal experience; however, all articles are backed by research and provide facts and advice from a wide variety of experts. Joan also serves as a thought-leader for KuelLife.com and is a regular contributor to PsychReg and Sixty and Me.
2 Responses
Nicely done post and I agree, BMI is too limited to be used in the way it is. I’ve seen countless news stories where a school kid – who looks very average, happy, active, not ‘fat’ – is told they’re ‘obese’ by BMI. That’s only the tip of the iceberg for the problems caused from this sort of calculation. I wrote a post on it myself not too long ago ( https://invisiblyme.com/should-bmi-to-categorise-weight-be-scrapped/ ) and plenty of people there agreed that it should be scrapped too. I guess doctors and medical providers want to hang onto it despite its flaws because it’s a quick and easy way to categorise people, even if it is wrong.
Caz x
I agree 100%! Thanks so much for reading and commenting!