Is BMI realistic?

Even though it is often used as one, it is not a true diagnostic of body fatness or of an individual's overall health. As most of us fitness-focused folks have likely heard, BMI is far from a perfect measurement.

Why BMI is inaccurate and misleading?

BMI (body mass index), which is based on the height and weight of a person, is an inaccurate measure of body fat content and does not take into account muscle mass, bone density, overall body composition, and racial and sex differences, say researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.

Do doctors believe in BMI?

Doctors consider BMI when determining if a patient is a good candidate for weight-loss procedures like bariatric surgery. “BMI is just part of it,” Chen notes. “I always think about how I can get surgery done as safely as possible.”

Why is my BMI high when I'm not fat?

Your muscle mass makes up most of your weight

or overweight based on their BMI alone. Someone who has a high BMI due to muscle mass most likely doesn't need to worry about the health problems associated with obesity and being overweight.

Is BMI actually relevant?

BMI is a useful tool for healthcare professionals to quickly identify health risks—for example, a person with a high BMI has a greater chance of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes—but your BMI alone doesn't provide a detailed picture of your health.

What BMI doesn't tell you about your health

Is the BMI outdated?

Though it has been used for decades as the go-to measurement for health based on body size, it has been widely criticized for its oversimplification of what being healthy really means. In fact, many claim BMI is outdated and inaccurate and shouldn't be used in medical and fitness settings.

Why do doctors still use BMI?

Body Mass Index Is a Good Gauge of Body Fat

The most basic definition of overweight and obesity is having too much body fat-so much so that it “presents a risk to health.” (1) A reliable way to determine whether a person has too much body fat is to calculate the ratio of their weight to their height squared.

Is it possible to have a high BMI and be healthy?

Yes as long as the person is declared “healthy” after a physical examination. There are many healthy people that have a higher BMI than the suggested healthy range of 18.5-24.9 due to greater muscle mass than overweight individuals.

Is BMI 30 really obese?

If your BMI is 18.5 to <25, it falls within the healthy weight range. If your BMI is 25.0 to <30, it falls within the overweight range. If your BMI is 30.0 or higher, it falls within the obesity range.

Can you be overweight healthy?

While being overweight is a precursor to obesity and, like obesity, can increase the risk of diabetes, heart attack and stroke, it's also possible to be overweight and still healthy, especially if you're free from chronic diseases like hypertension or diabetes.

What is more accurate than BMI?

While BMI is a rough estimate of body fat, body fat percentage is a more accurate number. BMI, but not overfat. Likewise, a person of normal weight on the BMI scales may still be overfat and at risk of weight-related diseases.

What is an alternative to BMI?

Body mass index, or BMI, is currently the most widely used method for assessing whether someone is overweight or underweight. But now scientists think they've come up with a new and improved alternative: say hello to the relative fat mass index, or RFM.

Is BMI accurate for athletes?

For most people, BMI provides a "reasonable measure" of body fat, but is not accurate for athletes (who weigh more because of muscle) or older people who have lost height, he said. Other methods of measuring body fat also have their pros and cons.

Is BMI really a good measure of obesity?

The bottom line. As a single measure, BMI is clearly not a perfect measure of health. But it's still a useful starting point for important conditions that become more likely when a person is overweight or obese.

Is a BMI of 21 skinny?

Your body mass index, or BMI, is the relationship between your weight and your height. A BMI of 20-25 is ideal; 25-30 is overweight and over 30 is obese. If your BMI is under 18.5, you're considered underweight. If your BMI is 18.5-20, you're a bit underweight and can't afford to lose more.

Is a BMI of 28 OK?

Underweight: BMI below 18.5. Normal: BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. Overweight: BMI of 25 to 29.9. Obese: BMI of 30 or higher.

Why do I look fat?

Water Retention: One of the most common contributor to someone looking overweight is water retention. Too much salt, sedentary lifestyle, not drinking enough water can all cause water retention.

How do I lower my BMI from 30 to 25?

If your BMI is between 25 and 30: Overweight

You are considered overweight and should finds ways to lower your weight, through diet and exercise. You are at increased risk for a variety of illnesses at your present weight. You should lose weight by changing your diet and exercising more.

Does body frame size affect BMI?

Body frame size is not used when calculating BMI; instead, you can figure out your BMI using your height and weight. The BMI measurement does not take into account body composition or sex differences, so its accuracy is debatable.

What is the problem with BMI?

The main flaw: It's an indirect measure of body fat that doesn't take into account important details about age, sex, bone structure, and fat distribution, one study in the International Journal of Obesity explained. Again, it's just two numbers: weight divided by height squared.

What are the pros and cons of BMI?

Can muscle mass affect BMI?

If you have a high muscle mass, your BMI is going to be higher. As Business Insider's Erin Brodwin explained in a post, BMI doesn't account for body composition, including differentiating between muscle mass and fat.

What was BMI originally created for?

The BMI was introduced in the early 19th century by a Belgian named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet. He was a mathematician, not a physician. He produced the formula to give a quick and easy way to measure the degree of obesity of the general population to assist the government in allocating resources.

Why does the NHS still use BMI?

But doctors use BMI in conjunction with other measures - like blood pressure, cholesterol and family history - to work out an individual's risk of type 2 diabetes or heart disease, for example. Body mass index is not specific to any particular health risk - and that's its strength, experts say.

What is Usain Bolt's BMI?

Usain Bolt, widely considered the greatest all time sprinter, has a BMI of 24.5. It is useful as a tool to track the average changes over time in populations, but at an individual level it doesn't really serve as a reliable tool.