Our society has a tendency to rely on one metric for measuring health, and that metric is body mass index (BMI). While BMI can be useful in certain situations, it isn’t always the best measure of overall health. Here’s why.
What Is BMI?
At its core, BMI calculates your weight relative to your height. It gives you a number which is then split into different categories of “underweight,” “normal weight,” “overweight” or “obese.” This categorization is based on a set of criteria developed in the 19th century by Belgian mathematician Adolphe Quetelet. The idea was to come up with an easy way to measure the average levels of obesity in large populations of people.
Poorly Calculates Muscle Mass
One problem with BMI is that it does not take into account muscle mass. If you are someone who works out regularly and has a high percentage of muscle compared to fat, then your BMI will say you are overweight even if you have very little body fat. Conversely, if you have more fat than muscle but still weigh within the “normal range” according to your BMI, then it will give you a false sense of security about your health when in fact it should be a cause for concern due to the amount of body fat you have.
Inaccurate Measurement Tool
Another issue with using BMI as the sole indicator of health is that it ignores other criteria such as waist circumference and resting heart rate — both important factors when determining overall health status. Additionally, because this measurement was originally designed for use in large population samples rather than individual patients or clients, it can often miss things like metabolic syndrome or inflammation-related issues which can only be diagnosed by performing more thorough tests such as blood work or physical examinations.
Conclusion:
Overall, while BMI can certainly provide some insight into whether or not someone may be overweight or obese based on their height and weight alone, it should never be used as an exclusive tool for measuring overall health status. Instead, other metrics such as waist circumference and resting heart rate should also be taken into consideration when trying to assess someone’s level of health and wellness. Additionally, regular checkups with your doctor are recommended as they can help detect potential issues before they become serious problems down the line. In order to stay healthy and safe from preventable diseases we need to look at more than just our numbers on a scale!
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