![]() ![]() Is BMI less accurate when applied to particular groups of people, such as underrepresented minority groups?īMI suffers from both overclassification and underclassification, and it disproportionately impacts certain groups. Similarly, someone who weighs more may be more likely to develop obesity and its associated health risks, but it’s not a perfect substitute for measuring body fat. Someone who weighs more may be more likely to have higher blood sugar, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect measuring their blood sugar. Relying on BMI to diagnose obesity is like diagnosing diabetes on the basis of weight instead of testing someone’s blood sugar level. It doesn’t measure body fat directly and can’t distinguish between fat, muscle and bone. What are the main problems with using BMI when diagnosing obesity?Įven though BMI is useful to assess population-level trends, it isn’t an accurate measure of obesity at an individual level. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. Lopez-Jimenez spoke with Scientific American about some of these alternative methods, BMI’s pitfalls and the reasons why the new AMA policy may begin to alter our understanding of obesity. But other measures exist that produce a more accurate picture of a person’s health. He adds that BMI is also used to determine eligibility for procedures such as bariatric surgery, establish criteria for life insurance policies and even prioritize individuals for COVID vaccine administration. The policy announcement also noted that BMI, originally developed from data on non-Hispanic white men, has played a role in perpetuating “ racist exclusion” and causing “historical harm” by misidentifying the weight status of people in many racial and ethnic minority groups.įrancisco Lopez-Jimenez, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, who has studied the limitations of BMI, says that the metric, which is calculated using a person’s weight and height, has become overused by physicians. Last month the leading physician’s group recommended that practitioners de-emphasize BMI because it can get weight-related health risks wrong, especially when used as the sole diagnostic tool. The metric has become a catchall proxy for body fat percentage, nutritional status and health risks.īut now BMI should be given much less importance, the American Medical Association (AMA) says. For example, a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 indicates a “normal” weight status, according to the World Health Organization, while a BMI of 30 or higher signifies obesity, a condition that raises your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, various cancers and other illnesses. ![]() The abbreviation stands for body mass index, a simple number that has evolved into a ubiquitous medical tool for obesity screening. ![]()
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