Is the Body Mass Index Necessary?

Body Mass Index.

That is a term that might be safe to say that everyone has heard at one point or another, and if you have just recently been in to see your licensed physician it is probably still ringing in your ears, and you probably also know what your body mass index (BMI) is at the moment.

What does that number mean?

After speaking with a licensed physician, the body mass index is simply another piece of quantitative data that hospitals use to describe you much in the same way that a resting heart rate, blood pressure, hair color, and eye color are used to describe you.

Well if that is all it is supposed to do then why do we need it, or why is it a problem?

If that was all that the BMI was designed for then there would not be a problem with using this piece of quantitative data to describe you, but it is not. This number is used for more than just that, and for some people it is preventing them from getting things like health care, or a lower premium because their body mass index puts them in the over weight or obese category.

The problem with this calculation is that it is merely a measurement of height, and weight all rolled into one number. Do you see what is wrong with this?

There are some people where the body mass index is accurate in describing them. People that do find themselves to be excessively over weight the body mass index is a more accurate calculation.

The flip side of that coin is a different story.

For those that spend time in the gym, and are eating to lose fat and inches from their body might also fall into that category according the BMI chart.

There are men in gyms out there that might only be 5'-6" and weighing 195 pounds but are less than 5% body fat. According to the BMI chart that would give that man a BMI of 30.7 and he would be considered obese.

That clearly is an inaccurate calculation. That man is in a physical condition that most of us dream about.

The point here is that the body mass index should not be used for more than a quick way to identify you when you are in for your next physical. That number is not entirely accurate, and having it be a driving force for other aspects related to healthcare probably is not the best idea. On paper this would mean that there are many more obese people in the country when a good number of those are people that are in fantastic shape.

If you want to calculate your own BMI check this cool gadget: Fitness Art BMI calculator

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