SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — BMI, or body mass index, is basically a ratio of weight to height. There are four categories: underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obesity. To determine which category a person falls into, their weight is divided by the square of height in feet. The main reason why it’s been used to assess weight and potential health issues is because it’s easy and inexpensive.
Now, this all sounds harmless, so why, then, did the American Medical Association use the term “racist exclusion?”
Well, first of all, we all have different body shapes and composition. Not only do our bodies vary between men and women, young and old, but they also vary among different racial and ethnic groups. And here lies a critical problem because the BMI scale is based primarily on data collected from generations of white people.
On top of that, evidence tells us that BMI is not accurate at predicting disease at an individual level. Studies have found that when it comes to developing type 2 diabetes, Asian, Hispanic, and Black people have an increased risk compared to Caucasians, even though their BMIs are lower.
That is another problem. BMI does not differentiate between fat and lean mass. For example, two people can have the same BMI, but one of them could be overweight, while the other has leaner body mass – meaning muscle and bone.
Also, BMI does not take into account where the fat has accumulated. Studies have shown that fat around the stomach may be more dangerous than fat in the legs or thighs. So, just because your average weight doesn’t mean you don’t have health risks.
Furthermore, people who fall into overweight or obese categories can struggle with insurance barriers when requesting eating disorder treatment.
BMI can lead to substandard treatment, typically due to the use of BMI by insurance companies to cover inpatient treatment. People with larger bodies have long struggled with insurance barriers or reimbursement when seeking treatment.
So the American Medical Association is not saying, let’s not use BMI anymore. Instead, they’re encouraging doctors to use BMI with other measures like checking waist circumference, skin folds, and resting metabolic health. And to keep an eye on blood pressure and cholesterol levels to really get a picture of the patient’s health.
This Week on the Dr. Nandi show:
Refusing to forgive can have a negative impact on your physical health. But just what is “forgiveness?” And how can you make it happen? In this episode, Dr. Nandi is joined by guests who share tragic stories and how they overcame their pain and learned to forgive. Gary lost his wife and 2 children to a drunk driver. Brittany was raped and carjacked. Frank’s wife of 20 years left him and his health deteriorated. They share why they forgave and how their health improved. Plus, making the decision to forgive and tips on what to do if you’re having trouble releasing emotions. Tune in this Saturday, June 17th at 1 pm.
