Question

What is BMI’s one weakness as a predictor of health risks? ?

Answer 1

BMI Categories:
Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
Overweight = 25–29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

BMI = Weight in kilograms / (Height in meters) 2

BMI is the Body Mass Index which is used to determine the obesity on the basis of weight and height.

Disadvantages of BMI :

1. The disadvantage of the method is that it does not differentiate between lean tissue and fat. It can also underestimate or overetimate the risk of diseases in people with low or high BMI .

2. Middle aged women and men who gained 11 to 22 pounds after age 20 we're up to three times more likely to develop heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 disease and gallstone than those who gained 5 or fewer pounds.

3. Weight gain even after menopause can increase the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.

Advantages of BMI:

1. Fewer joint and muscle pains, better regulation of bodily fluids and blood pressure, reduce burden on heart and circulatory system, better sleep pattern etc.

2. BMI is that is helps to assess the risk of obesity related diseases and disorders in the general population.