Should you trust BMI?

Body mass index is not specific to any particular health risk - and that's its strength, experts say. However, a BMI above the healthy range or too much fat around the waist is known to increase the risk of serious health problems, including stroke and certain cancers.

Can BMI be trusted?

BMI is not an accurate predictor of health because it does not account for body fat percentage or body fat distribution. In addition, BMI cannot accurately predict the health of different demographics and races because it was created with data from only white Europeans.

Should you really follow BMI?

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.

Does BMI actually mean anything?

A high BMI does not mean an individual is even overweight, let alone obese. It could mean the person is fit and healthy, with very little fat. 5. It's bad statistics.

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.

What BMI doesn't tell you about your health

Why does my BMI says I'm overweight when I'm not?

For kids and teens, it can be tricky to tell what a BMI reading means. That's because kids' weights and amounts of body fat can change quickly as they go through puberty. Sometimes athletic kids who build muscle with exercise can have BMI measurements that say "overweight" when they don't have too much body fat at all.

Is BMI wrong if you are muscular?

As Business Insider's Erin Brodwin explained in a post, BMI doesn't account for body composition, including differentiating between muscle mass and fat. Muscles are denser and heavier than body fat, so if you have high muscle mass, your BMI might indicate that you're overweight or obese.

Is the BMI outdated?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 In fact, many claim BMI is outdated and inaccurate and shouldn't be used in medical and fitness settings.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.

Why is BMI not a good health indicator?

“BMI isn't an accurate representation of health because it takes the ratio of height and weight and doesn't factor into account the type of weight a person may have, such as muscle compared to fat,” explains Kearn.

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 are the pros and cons of BMI?

What are the disadvantages of BMI?

BMI is also extremely cost-efficient, as calculations only take into account gender, height and weight. But as experts explain, BMI may be too simple. Since muscle weighs more than fat, BMI isn't accurate in patients with extreme amounts of muscle.

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.

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.

What should I use instead of BMI?

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 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 it possible to be obese and 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.

How can I lower my BMI naturally?

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.

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 BMI account for frame size?

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.

Does age affect BMI?

For adults ages 20 years and older, BMI incorporates weight and height, but it does not take age or sex into account.

What are the limitations of using BMI as an indicator of healthful weight?

One limitation to the body mass index is that it does not differentiate between fat and lean body mass. For example, an athlete or bodybuilder with a large amount of muscle mass could very easily fall into the overweight or obese categories based on their BMI.