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Your BMI is often used to predict a range of health problems. But evidence now suggests that this may not be as accurate as previously thought.
Weight is a serious problem in the western world. As a result, there are several ways to calculate the health risk of excess weight. These methods are of varying effectiveness. Calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI) is one of the most commonly accepted methods. And it’s relatively simple too, with a higher health risk associated with people who are over a specific BMI. However, the reality isn’t as simple as that. In fact, using BMI to predict health may just be getting in the way.
Calculating your BMI is simple. You just divide your weight in kilograms by your height squared in centimeters. The result is then used to determine whether you’re underweight, normal, overweight or obese. Each weight category covers a range of results. For example, if you’re overweight then your result falls between 25 and 29.9. As you can see, this is a fairly wide range.
What BMI calculations are meant to do is to quantify the amount of tissue mass in your body. This means that it estimates the amount of fat, muscle, and bone in your body. Your BMI is used to assess your health risk. Basically, if you fall into one of the excess weight categories, then your health risk is increased.
However, using a blanket strategy can sometimes just confuse the issue.
According to this system, two people can have the same BMI and very different body types. Bodybuilders are a popular example of this problem. Someone who has dense, solid muscle and little body fat will probably register as overweight in the BMI system. This is because muscle weighs more than fat. This is an extreme example, but it can also apply to anyone who’s very physically active. In fact, this issue is one of the biggest flaws in the BMI system. However, as it affects very fit, muscular people isn’t the biggest worry.
If you have your BMI measured and it’s in the normal range, you might think you have nothing to worry about. So, you leave and go about your life without thinking about it. In some cases, this could be a very big health threat. You can have both a normal BMI and a higher than normal percentage of fat. You will often see this in people who are naturally thin but eat junk all day and never exercise. Their BMI may be normal, but they have more fat tissue than average. This can create a very serious health risk that gets dismissed because of BMI test results.
There’s still another problem with BMI testing, and it’s all to do with fat distribution.
BMI can be a good way to identify obesity and the health risk involved. However, it isn’t the only factor that can affect your health risk. Everyone’s body is different and stores excess fat different. And if your body stores excess fat in your midsection, then your health risk is increased.
A high waist circumference is strongly associated with an increased health risk. A recent study identified the increased risk of post-menopausal women with a normal BMI. Participants who had a high waist circumference also had a 31 percent increased risk of dying within the study’s 20-year observation period. Obese people with central obesity had approximately the same level of increased risk
This means that central obesity is the most important factor in health risk. And this should change the way you monitor your weight.
If you want to stay healthy, then you need to be doing at home health monitoring. This will help you assess your risk of disease and identify problem signs early. And one of the most important health risk factors to monitor is your weight. However, just monitoring your BMI isn’t enough. You also need to monitor your fat distribution, particularly around your midsection. So, if you suddenly notice that you’re putting on weight around your waist, it’s a clear sign of trouble.
The one problem with this strategy is the difficulty of measuring fat. Obviously, you can’t reach in and dig it out to measure. The best way to monitor your weight distribution at the moment is with a measuring tape. Measure your waist regularly and take note of any changes. This tactic is an indirect but still effective way to assess where you’re carrying excess weight.
If you’re concerned about a health risk, try using HomeLab to keep track of your condition and any preventative measures you take. And if you see signs of a significant problem, you should check with your doctor as soon as possible.
Tags: obesity, health risk
