Why are BMIs useful ?

Why are BMIs useful?

It is the BMI BMI is an easy and inexpensive screening instrument utilized to determine the possibility of problems with weight, for both adults and children. An BMI test can be beneficial in determining whether someone requires additional testing to determine risk factors for heart disease. The people who are at risk need more assessment. Evaluations could include testing the thickness of the skin fold along with diet, physical activity levels, family history and other health screenings that are appropriate for the individual.

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Risks caused by BMIs with extremes

BMI Being at risk of being overweight (with an BMI of 25 or more) or being underweight (with a BMI lower than 18.5) can have a negative impact on your health.

Overweight

People who are overweight and obese have a greater risk of disease compared to those in the healthy weight range. The risk of contracting disease increases with an increase in BMI. Overweight people (BMI 25-29.9) can also be considered pre-obese . They are more likely to develop health problems. In the category 1 of overweight (BMI 30-34.9) there is a moderate chance of developing the disease. It increases to severe or very severe risk at obesity stages 2 (BMI 35-39.9) in 3 (BMI greater than 40) respectively.

It is important to note that BMI doesn't determine risk in and of itself. Other variables like the type of food one eats, the amount they exercise and whether or not they have any medical history in their family could affect the risk of getting sick. But as a group those who are obese and overweight are at a higher risk of several diseases.

They are at a significantly increased chance of:

Type 2 Diabetes;
Gall bladder disease
Hypertension;
Dyslipidaemia;
Insulin Resistance;
Atherosclerosis;
Sleep apnoea
Breathlessness
Asthma;
Depression and social isolation;
Sleepiness during the day and fatigue.

They have a moderately increased chance of:

Cardiovascular diseases (i.e. stroke, heart attack);
Gout /hyperuricaemia;
Osteoarthritis;
Respiratory disease;
Hernia;
Psychological problems.

They have a slightly increased likelihood of:

Different types of cancer (breast colon, endometrial and breast cancers);
Reproductive anomalies;
Unhealthy fertility;
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Skin complications;
Cataract;
Varicose veins;
Musculoskeletal issues;
Bad back;
Stress incontinence;
Oedema/cellulitis.

Underweight

In the event of being overweight, a person could be deficient in nutrition. They also have an increased risk of developing health conditions, such as:

Compromised immune function with increased susceptibility to infections
Anaemia;
Osteoporosis;
Menstrual irregularities;
The impaired fertility.

What do you think are the limits of BMI?

BMI Limitations associated with the BMI are:

BMI is different based on age, race and sex. Therefore, one's BMI can only be compared with those of the same sex, race and age.
BMI does not differentiate between muscle and fat and therefore will underestimate in certain cases and overestimate in others (e.g. An athlete might have an elevated BMI because they have a larger amount of muscle, rather than fat).
Disabled or elderly people are less muscular and consequently, will have lower BMI. It does not mean that their weight is healthy or even underweight.
Pregnant women also will be more obese BMI due to the weight gain that is associated with pregnancy, however, this is not necessarily due a rise in fat. BMI will overestimate body fat in this case. Pre-pregnancy BMI and weight growth during pregnancy must be used to determine women's weight as well as the necessity for nutritional and exercise interventions.
BMI does not differentiate between the body's fat distribution. The fat on the abdomen ("apple" form) is more dangerous than hips ("pear" body shape) However, this risk is not considered in the BMI.

See your healthcare provider for additional physical measures that might need to be used alongside BMI for assessing health risks associated with overweight.

Other ways to measure obesity

Table 2 Other ways to measure obesity

Measure	Description
Waist circumference	Waist circumference (WC) is a great indicator of abdominal fat . It is a good indicator of health risks. It's measured by placing an untight tape measure at the narrowest level of your waist over light or no clothing.For males:> 94 centimeters (37 inch) Increased risk> 100 centimeters (40 inch) significantly increased risk women:> 80cm ( 31 inch) higher risk than 80 cm (31 inch) - increased risk> 88cm (35 inch) Significantly increased risk is also affected by ethnicity and health risks are higher with a lower WC in certain ethnic groups including Aboriginal, Pacific Islander, South Asian, Chinese and Japanese populations.
The hip circumference	The hip circumference (HC) is measured using a tape that is placed around the widest area of your thighs, and wearing only a small amount of clothing. HC isn't a good indicator in its own right; generally it's used as an equivalent ratio to WC as mentioned previously mentioned.
Hip-waist ratio	Waist to Hip ratio (WHR) is the ratio of your waist circumference to hip circumference. For women, the average WHR is approximately 0.80 For men, it is 0.95.
Waist-height ratio	Waist-to-height ratio is the ratio of your waist circumference to your height.

More details

For more details on nutrition, such as information on the kinds of food available and the composition in relation to nutrition and people as well as conditions that relate to nutrition as well as diets and recipes, as well as some helpful videos and tools to help you, check out Nutrition.

For more details on problems with obesity and other health issues as well as social, and methods of losing weight along with some helpful tools, visit weight loss.

References

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Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. About BMI for Adults. 2011. [accessed 14 April 2014]. Accessible at: URL Link]
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Snijder MB, van Dam RM, Visser M, Seidell JC. What body fat-related aspects are most dangerous? How do we evaluate them? Int. J. Epidemiol. 2006;35(1):83-92. [Full Text]
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Australian Government Department of Health. About Overweight and Obesity. 2009. [cited 14 April 2014] Accessible at: URL Link]
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