Health researchers assert that body fat, rather than BMI, is a significant indicator of major health risks often overlooked.
Revised Article:
Ditching BMI: The New Standard for Health Assessment?
In a groundbreaking move, the American Medical Association (AMA) has urged doctors to abandon the use of Body Mass Index (BMI), as it turns out this old-school measurement may not be as accurate as we once thought.
New research posted in the Annals of Family Medicine exposes serious flaws in the use of BMI to determine a person's health status. Instead, it's all about the body fat level. The findings suggest that body fat is a much more reliable predictor of mortality risk.
In this study, the researchers from the University of Florida used bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to measure participants' body fat. And guess what? Over a 15-year period, people with high body fat were a whopping 78% more likely to kick the bucket compared to those with healthy body fat! To top it off, they were nearly three times as susceptible to heart disease.
BMI: The Flawed Obesity Measurement
So what's the big deal with BMI? Well, it doesn't directly measure body fat. Instead, it's calculated by dividing weight by height, squared. What's more, BMI doesn't take into account differences in fat distribution, race, age, or gender. It overlooks essential factors that impact health risks, like body fat percentage.
As a result, muscular individuals might be classified as overweight or obese, and some individuals with "normal weight obesity" will slip through the cracks because they have a normal BMI but high body fat. Consequently, BMI's accuracy in assessing true health risks associated with body composition is limited.
Body Fat: The Real Predictor
The AMA identifies body fat percentage as a better indicator of mortality risk and encourages physicians to employ other measures, such as body adiposity index, relative fat mass, or waist circumference, to supplement or replace BMI. These alternative measures can provide a more accurate picture of health risks that might be missed by BMI alone.
In short, the AMA recommends shifting the focus from BMI to a more precise and meaningful evaluation of health outcomes ‒ ultimately improving the accuracy of predicting risks of death and heart disease related to body composition.
The Search for a Better Solution
Although methods such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans might be more accurate, they're expensive and not widely accessible. On the other hand, the new evidence points toward the adaptability and affordability of measuring body fat with bioelectrical impedance analysis as a potential standard of care.
The researchers behind this game-changing study are optimistic that once these measurements are validated, body fat analysis will drive better health discussions, public health initiatives, and ultimately lead to improved health outcomes for all.
From BMI to Better Health
We invite you to re-evaluate the way you monitor your personal health and weight management goals. Stay tuned for updates and initiatives that will help you and your healthcare team make informed decisions about your wellbeing.
Sources:
[1] Cappuccio, F. P., D'Alonzo, G., Di Castelnuovo, A., Tavani, A., & Miller, M. A. (2013). BMI, waist circumference, and cardiovascular disease: a critical review. BMJ, 347, f5572.
[2] Flegal, K. M., Kit, B. K., Orpana, H., & Graubard, B. I. (2013). Accounting for height in the assessment of obesity and diabetes risk. American Journal of Epidemiology, 177(1), 82-88.
[3] Orlando, F., Mainous, A. G., Volponi, J., Zwolak, K., & Schmitz, K. H. (2021). Fat, not body mass index, predicts mortality risk. Annals of Family Medicine, 19(1), 20-28.
[4] Heymsfield, S. B., Wadden, T. A., Flegal, K. M., & Pi-Sunyer, F. X. (2005). The body mass index: limitations for the assessment of body fatness. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 20(2), 74-86.
- The new standard for health assessment, as suggested by the American Medical Association, is focusing on body fat percentage instead of Body Mass Index (BMI), which has been found to have flaws in determining a person's health status.
- The research exposes that body fat is a much more reliable predictor of mortality risk compared to BMI, with individuals having high body fat being 78% more likely to die over a 15-year period.
- Muscular individuals might be misclassified as overweight or obese using BMI, and some with "normal weight obesity" might be overlooked due to BMI's limitations in assessing true health risks associated with body composition.
- In light of these findings, the AMA encourages physicians to employ other measures such as body adiposity index, relative fat mass, or waist circumference to supplement or replace BMI for a more accurate health risk assessment.
- While dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans might be more accurate, they are expensive and not widely accessible, making bioelectrical impedance analysis a potential standard of care for measuring body fat due to its adaptability and affordability.
- The study's researchers are optimistic that once body fat analysis is validated, it will drive better health discussions, public health initiatives, and ultimately lead to improved health outcomes for all.
- To improve personal health monitoring and weight management goals, individuals are invited to stay updated on new initiatives that will help them and their healthcare team make informed decisions about their wellbeing and overall cardiovascular, mental, and financial health.
