The main diagnostic test for obesity — the body mass index — accounts for only height and weight, leaving out a slew of factors that influence body fat and health.

The main diagnostic test for obesity — the body mass index — accounts for only height and weight, leaving out a slew of factors that influence body fat and health.

  • @SteveEnglish
    26•9 months ago

    BMI isn’t really flawed, it’s misused.

    It wasn’t created to be used with individuals. It was created as a statistical tool to compare populations.

  • SokathHisEyesOpenEnglish
    7•9 months ago

    BMI is worthless for determining obesity, or fat content in general. My BMI states that I’m obese. I have 13.5% body fat, which is in the athlete range for men. Muscles are heavy.

    • @jarfil@beehaw.org
      4•9 months ago

      I’m obese, and I know it. My BMI has been getting better and better as I’ve been losing weight, but I’ve been losing muscle at about the same or faster rate, which is causing a lot of problems. My waist-to-height ratio is also hilarious, because as I’ve been losing weight, most of the fat is concentrated below the waistline, so the ratio is great, but completely useless. I’ve been more fit at a higher BMI and weight.

      Still, recently I got told an even worse formula: “height in cm - 100 - 10%”, which would put my “optimum weight” at the top of the “healthy BMI” range… and would make someone 100cm tall into a ghost 🧐