Is the BMI a good indicator of health?

Is the BMI a good indicator of health?

BMI is a useful indicator of health at the population level. However, the distribution of fat on your body is more important that the amount, when assessing your disease risk. For this reason, your waist circumference is thought to be a better predictor of health risk than your BMI.

What is a better indicator of health than BMI?

One of the most effective alternatives to BMI is the old fashioned tape measure. By measuring the natural waist you can get a good indication of the amount of abdominal fat you are carrying. Knowing the circumference of your waist can help determine your risk of getting heart disease and other medical conditions.

What values are computed to determine the BMI?

Body Mass Index (or BMI) is calculated as your weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of your height (in metres) or BMI = Kg/M2.

Is a BMI of 26 bad?

Someone with a BMI of 26 to 27 is about 20 percent overweight, which is generally believed to carry moderate health risks. A healthy weight is considered to be a BMI of 24 or less. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 and above is considered obese.

Is WHR a better indicator than BMI?

WHR is an easy, inexpensive, and accurate way to see how much body fat you have. It can also help predict your risk for heart disease and diabetes. A few studies suggest that WHR is even more accurate than BMI for predicting the risks of cardiovascular disease and premature death .

Why is BMI a bad health indicator?

Body Mass Index’ biggest flaw is that it does not take into account the person’s body fat versus muscle (lean tissue) content. Muscle weighs more than fat (it is denser, a cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat). A BMI calculation would class both of them as overweight.

Why is it important to Know Your BMI?

BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. This calculator provides BMI and the corresponding weight category.

What are the leading health indicators for 2030?

Leading Health Indicators (LHIs) are a small subset of high-priority Healthy People 2030 objectives selected to drive action toward improving health and well-being. Most LHIs address important factors that impact major causes of death and disease in the United States, and they help organizations, communities, and states across the nation focus

What is the definition of a health indicator?

Definition: HEALTH INDICATOR • Depending on the measure, a health indicator may be defined for a specific population, place, political jurisdiction, or geographic area. Emerging Health Data Trends & Issues •Many data sources, old and new

How is the body mass index ( BMI ) calculated?

BMI is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height. BMI provides a fairly reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. Visit the CDC Web Site: More about BMI for Adults. Healthy Weight. Child and Teen BMI.