why is the bmi used?
to screen people for levels of overweight and obesity. the world health organization says that for adults, the healthy range for bmi is between 18.5 and 24.9. overweight is defined as a bmi of 25 to 29.9, and obesity is defined as a bmi of 30 or higher. the cut-off points in adults are the same for men and women, regardless of their age.
how accurate is the bmi?
muscle is denser than fat, so muscular people may be a healthy weight even though their bmi classes them as “obese.” the bmi also doesn’t account for body frame. the amount of body fat also may be higher or lower depending on the racial or ethnic group. and the bmi ignores waist circumference. fat concentrated in the belly is considered less healthy than fat concentrated around the hips.
who shouldn’t use the bmi?
muscle builders, long distance athletes, pregnant women, the elderly or young children, because the bmi doesn’t consider whether the weight is carried as muscle or fat, just the number. children who are still growing, and the elderly, who tend to lose muscle mass, may have a lower bmi.
why does body fat matter?
people with obesity have a higher risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint) and other health conditions. but not all people with obesity are metabolically unhealthy. other markers, like cholesterol levels, blood pressure and insulin resistance provide a more accurate measure of health. bmi should never be the whole story.