What is Body Mass Index?

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Every now and again, I like go back to the basics. This is one such post. I often don’t believe that body mass index is a great measurement system.

Body mass index is a measurement used by the medical community to determine healthy body weight. It is the standard used to decide if patients are overweight or even obese. For years, it has been considered the most telling sign of overall health. Considering the importance placed on this figure by the medical community, a surprising number of people are unaware of what body mass index is, and why – or why not – it is considered significant to their overall health.

Body mass index, or BMI, is derived by relating your height to your weight. An ideal, healthy adult should have a BMI that falls between 18.5 and 25. BMI does not take into account body fat content, which is another significant indicator of health. For this reason, BMI is not effective on those with a very muscular or athletic build. The BMI indicator would show them to have a mass far too great for their height, which this scale presumes to be unhealthy.

Because of this, other factors are now being used in place of BMI. One of these is waist circumference. One common area that they body store excess fat is around the middle or the body, and often indicates health risks for high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. For women, the cut off for a healthy waist circumference is 32 inches; for men, 37 inches. This measurement should be taken at the smallest point of the waist.

Another method now used to supplement a BMI measurement is size ratio of the waist and hips. Recent studies have shown that waist-hip ratio is in fact the best indicator of excess body fat and increased risk of heart disease and high cholesterol. This is due to the fact that after the waist, the hips are the most common area for the body to store fat. The waist measurement should again be taken at the smallest point of the waist; the hip measurement is taken at the widest point. The ratio is waist in inches over hips in inches. For women, a ration under 0.8 is considered healthy; for men, 1.0 is the healthy cut-off.

As research continues to emerge, our knowledge of how to measure our body’s health will continue to improve. There is not currently sufficient research to support any one measurement as a blanket statement of health. Instead, take into account several measurements, and other health factors such as your level of activity, alcohol intake, and diet. If you are getting conflicting measurements, or are unsure about the healthfulness of your lifestyle, the best person to discuss concerns with is always your doctor.

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bmi indicator, body fat content, body mass index, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, high cholesterol, hip measurement, risk of heart disease, waist circumference, waist hip ratio, waist measurement

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Posted by Lazy Man on October 17, 2008 in Healthy Tools.

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