BMI uses a person’s height and weight to estimate their body fat level and gauge their risk of body fat-related diseases. BMI charts also display the ranges for the categories of underweight, overweight, and obesity.
Carrying too much or too little weight can increase a person’s risk of health problems, either in the present or the future.
A person’s body mass index (BMI) is not the only factor that affects this risk. Other tools for assessing whether or not a person has a moderate weight or body composition include the waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, and body fat percentage.
However, BMI may be a helpful starting point. This article provides some tools for people to work out their BMI.
The flaws of BMI
BMI is a calculation of a person’s body fat based on their height and weight. However, studies suggest it is a poor indicator of a person’s body fat percentage.
It can be misleading because the measure does not account for overall body composition or capture information on the mass of fat in different body sites. The latter relates to both health and social issues.
BMI cutoff points were generated mostly from the white population, but body fat distribution differs by race and ethnicity.
For additional information, talk with your doctor about other body fat assessment methods.
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