Does The BMI Always Work?
Description
This article is from the Health Articles series.
Does The BMI Always Work?
Yes, for most people but for those who are short in stature or overly muscular, the BMI may not work always and will result in labeling these people obese even when they are not. But for the rest of us, it gives a good approximation of obesity and it seems to be even more accurate for men than women.
What Are Other Ways To Measure Obesity?
Body fat can be measured using a skinfold caliper. An approximation of the BMI is made by measuring skinfold thickness over biceps, triceps, subscapularis and suprailiac (above the hip) region. Hydrostatic or underwater weighing of a person to determine fat content is considered the "gold standard" for most researchers, but impractical for a clinical setting.
What Is The Waist To Hip Ratio?
This is another measure of obesity. Research has shown that complications of obesity are most likely to occur more with abdominal fat than lower body fat (hips, thighs). The waist to hip ratio helps determine that risk. The waist is measured at the narrowest circumference between the ribs and the iliac crest of the hips; the hip is measured at the widest point at the buttocks. A number above 0.72 is considered abnormal. A number above 1.0 for men and 0.9 for women is considered the cutoff point for increased risk of developing a medical problem from obesity.
I always use the BMI in my practice. It gives another number for patients to monitor their obesity, besides just daily weigh-ins. When a BMI of 25 for my mildly overweight patients or 30 for my severely obese ones is reached, they know they have reached a milestone and have greatly reduced their risk in developing substantial health problems due to obesity.
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