BMI calculation is an easy method of calculation that can provide basic information on your overall weight problem. This figure can act as a warning sign of danger and protect a person from dying from chronic obesity-related diseases. Reporting from Live Science, BMI is not an ideal and accurate measurement method, and cannot explain the cause of a person’s weight problem. When defining healthy weight, one type of definitive measurement cannot be applied to all, said Dr. Rexford Ahima, professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and co-researcher of the 2013 journal Science published.
BMI also does not take into account the amount and distribution of body fat, which is important for measuring a person’s risk of various chronic diseases. The reason is, thin people may still have a distended stomach or diabetes. And in some cases, a tall stature, like a bodybuilder (who can look like he is overweight thanks to his muscle mass), is not necessarily a bad thing; many people who are over “normal” weight are declared healthy. In addition, a low BMI number may be the result of certain diseases or aging factors.
BMI also fails to take into account differences in ethnicity and gender (women tend to have more fat mass than men), age, level of physical activity, body composition (how much muscle to body fat is in comparison), and waist size (above-average waist circumference). the average is another indicator of obesity and the risk of associated diseases). So, for example, as a woman, even if your body mass index falls into the normal category, you can still have a high body fat percentage. That is, BMI does not fully represent a comprehensive diagnosis of a person’s health and disease risk. Consult your doctor further about your risks and concerns regarding health conditions related to your weight.