Scribd
Upload
18 views3 pages

Xi-Pe - Lab - Unit - 2 - Bmi

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used but flawed measure that does not account for factors like body composition, ethnicity, and age. While it can indicate potential health risks related to being overweight or underweight, it is not a direct measure of body fat or health. Alternative methods for assessing body fat composition are recommended, especially for athletes and individuals with higher muscle mass.

Uploaded by

yogesharavindkumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
18 views3 pages

Xi-Pe - Lab - Unit - 2 - Bmi

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used but flawed measure that does not account for factors like body composition, ethnicity, and age. While it can indicate potential health risks related to being overweight or underweight, it is not a direct measure of body fat or health. Alternative methods for assessing body fat composition are recommended, especially for athletes and individuals with higher muscle mass.

Uploaded by

yogesharavindkumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

BMI

BODY MASS INDEX

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a dated, biased measure that doesn’t account for several factors, such
as body composition, ethnicity, race, gender, and age.

Despite being a flawed measure, BMI is widely used today in the medical community because it
is an inexpensive and quick method for analyzing potential health status and outcomes.

Body mass index (BMI) is a calculation that is sometimes used in healthcare settings as an
indirect method to determine a person's body weight category. This BMI calculator can help you
learn what this measurement means and how it relates to your health and fitness.

What Is BMI?

BMI is a measurement that takes into account your height, and weight to produce a calculation.
This calculation is a measurement of your body size and can be used to determine how your
body weight is related to your height.

BMI is not a diagnostic tool nor is it a measurement of body fat percentage. A high BMI may or
may not be an indicator of high body fat, but it doesn't necessarily mean that a person is
overweight or obese and it alone is not a direct indicator of health.

In some populations, BMI has been found to be a fairly reliable indicator of body fat measures.
But the calculation is less effective in other groups, such as bodybuilders and older adults. There
are other methods that are more accurate in estimating body fat.

How BMI Is Measured

Your BMI is calculated using your height and weight. It can be a starting point for understanding
the way your body fat may impact your overall health. You can use the number along with other
health measurements to begin a conversation with your healthcare provider about ways to reduce
your risk for disease and improve your overall wellness.

Imperial

 Formula: weight (lb) / [height (in)]2 x 703


 Example: weight = 150 lbs, height = 5’5” (65")
 BMI calculation: [150 / (65)2] x 703 = 24.96

Metric

 Formula: weight (kg) / [height (m)]21


 Example: weight = 68 kg, height = 165 cm (1.65 m)
 BMI calculation: 68 / (1.65)2 = 24.98

Note that BMI is interpreted differently in children. Growth charts and percentiles are used. If
children are at or above the 95th percentile of children their age, they are considered obese.

Health Risks Related to High BMI


The reason BMI is used for screening the health of the general population is due to the
correlation between being overweight or obese and having certain health problems. People who
are overweight or obese have an increased risk for:2

 Coronary heart disease


 Hypertension
 Osteoarthritis
 Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
 Some cancers
 Stroke
 Type 2 diabetes

Health Risks Related to Low BMI

While a high BMI may be an indicator for increased health risk, low BMI can also be indicative
of health issues. People who are underweight according to the BMI scale can be predisposed to:

 Cardiovascular disease
 Depression
 Difficulty conceiving (in women)
 Dry skin
 Hair loss
 Irregular menstruation (in women)
 Nutrient deficiencies
 Osteoporosis
 Poor immune system

Benefits of a Normal BMI

Maintaining a normal BMI (18.5 to 24.9) comes with many benefits, including limiting your risk
to all of the above-listed health concerns. Not only are you less likely to have high blood
pressure, heart disease, or diabetes, but maintaining a normal BMI can also help with better
sleep, improved circulation, and even better energy throughout the day. 3

Bias and Limitations

The original index was developed to create statistics about population samples using European
men as a baseline. It has since been used to assess people of all ages and races, perpetuating the
creators' bias that the male, European body was the ideal body and measure of a person's fit-
ness.4

There are several known limitations of body mass index. First, the calculation does not take age
or gender into account. Men tend to carry more muscle than women and this is not factored into
the equation. BMI does not distinguish between muscle mass and fat mass in its calculation. Also
ethnic and race variations are not considered.

While BMI can be a tool doctors use to understand your health status better, it is not a solitary
diagnostic tool. When measuring your body fat composition, physicians also take into account
your diet, lifestyle, level of physical activity, family history and genetics, as well as other health
screenings.
Fitness, especially, is very important. Researchers have found that being fit negates the adverse
effects of excess body fat, as well as other traditional cardiovascular risk factors, including
obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. 5

Body Composition, Body Fat, and BMI

Athletes who have higher levels of muscle mass need to be leery of the BMI calculation.
Because the BMI number cannot distinguish the different components that make up total body
weight, an athlete is better served by using a direct measurement of body composition and body
fat.

The BMI calculation is used to screen the general population for health risks related to having
too much body fat. This tool does not work well for most athletes who are curious about their
body composition.

Body Fat Measurement Methods

BMI does not measure body fat. If you're interested in knowing your percentage of lean mass
versus fat mass there are several methods of assessing a body's percentage of fat. These methods
are referred to as body composition analysis. Some of the most common measurements include:

 Bioelectrical impedance: This common method of assessing body fat percentage


determines total body weight, the percent and amount of body fat, muscle mass, water,
and even bone mass. While readings can be affected by hydration level and other factors,
they provide fairly accurate results over time. Some body fat scales for home use employ
this method of measurement.
 Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA): This is an x-ray scan that measures a
person's bones (specifically their mineral density and bone loss) to calculate the
possibilities of developing osteoporosis. However, these DEXA machines have
limitations and the technology that is widely used is unable to measure the bones in
people who weigh 300 pounds or more or who are taller than 6 feet.
 Skinfold thickness measurements: Many experts use this simple method to determine
body composition.
 Underwater weighing: This procedure, also known as hydrodensitometry or hydrostatic
weighing, is complex and complicated, so it is rarely used.
 or adults, BMI results are interpreted as follows. 1

BMI Measurement Weight Category


Below 18.5 Underweight
18.5 – 24.9 Normal weight
25.0 – 29.9 Overweight
30.0 and above Obese

You might also like