Body Mass Index (BMI)
BMI, a well know health metric derived from height and weight, has lost its luster within the medical community. We continue to report BMI because of its popularity, yet we strongly recommend you use a more comprehensive fitness metric like our Fitness Index!
Why track my BMI?
BMI is a simple and widely-used measure that provides a snapshot of body weight relative to height.
Due to its broad use, BMI can be used a screening tool to assess whether an individual is underweight, at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese. BMI is widely used in health and fitness context to provide general indication of body fat levels.
However BMI comes with limitations.
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Doesn’t Account for Muscle Mass: Muscle weighs more than fat, so athletes or muscular individuals might have a high BMI but low body fat.
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Ignores Fat Distribution: BMI doesn’t distinguish between fat stored around the abdomen (which is riskier) and fat in other areas.
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Not Always Accurate for Certain Groups: May not fully reflect health risks for older adults, children, or people with specific ethnic backgrounds.
What are the different health ranges for BMI?
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Underweight: BMI < 18.5
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Healthy weight: BMI 18.5 – 24.9
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Overweight: BMI 25 – 29.9
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Obesity: BMI ≥ 30
What other health metrics should I consider alongside BMI?
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Body composition including
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Body fat percentage​
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Lean body mass
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Muscle mass
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Bone mass
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Water content
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Visceral fat level
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Resting metabolic rate
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Waist-to-Hip ratio
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Medical health assessments