Thus, BMI assessment may be causing risk (e.g., loss of trust, delayed care) while providing minimal to no benefit. Indeed, in many of the instances in which BMI is assessed in medical settings, the information is not pertinent to medical decision making and often not even used. Additionally, misplaced BMI assessments can unnecessarily divert clinician focus to weight, an easy default but often misguided explanation for various signs and symptoms, and can result in missed diagnoses, sometimes with grave consequences.īMI as a metric has become so formally entrenched in clinical interactions that it is rarely questioned. This can lead to patients opting not to follow physician advice, even when that advice is not weight-focused, and not pursuing follow-up care due to faltering trust - a vital element of effective doctor-patient relationships. Clinicians' focus on BMI can lead to unproductive weight-related conversations that fracture the doctor-patient relationship and may introduce mistrust. When patients do arrive to care, a focus on BMI can cause more problems than it resolves. Studies and patient stories tell us that anticipating being weighed in medical settings leads many to delay or avoid medical care altogether, resulting in missed preventive care or worse. Yet, a growing body of research on weight stigma in medicine has identified routine BMI assessments as a key barrier to care for people living in larger bodies and for others experiencing weight-based shame. BMI has now become the organizing principle of a massively sprawling surveillance system and the default tool in society's arsenal in the "war on obesity." Though BMI was never intended as a measure to be applied to an individual's health, by the 1990s, as panic arose over increasing weights nationwide, Quetelet's metric - once so obscure that it was known only in the rarefied world of historians of 19th Century mathematics - became a household word. In the 20th Century, BMI was resurrected as a risk prediction tool for insurance companies. The genesis of BMI as a metric dates back nearly 2 centuries to the work of Belgian mathematician (not physician) Adolphe Quetelet, who had the singular idea to create a quick way to approximate body composition in the society. Then buying it is what most of us in the health professions have already done, usually without questioning. Remember, maintaining a healthy BMI goes beyond just numbers-it’s about embracing a healthier lifestyle, proper nutrition, regular exercise, and mental well-being.Would you buy it? Of course not, who in their right mind would?Įxcept, that is, if that "new gadget" is a body mass index (BMI) calculator. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention : The CDC offers resources on understanding obesity and overweight conditions.World Health Organization’s BMI Information : WHO provides an in-depth understanding of BMI.NHS BMI Calculator : The NHS’s official tool for calculating BMI.Here are some helpful resources for more detailed information: This guide aims to assist you in making the most out of a BMI calculator for a healthier lifestyle. But consider BMI and other health markers for a comprehensive understanding of your health. A BMI calculator provides a snapshot of your general health, guides you in creating suitable diet plans, and aids in disease prevention.īMI calculators offer a personalized health assessment and act as a crucial reference during medical evaluations. Understanding and monitoring your Body Mass Index, or BMI, is vital for personal health management. As such, it is a practical tool for preliminary assessment of an individual’s health.” ** Conclusion and Additional Resources** “Compared to other health assessment methods, BMI is non-invasive, less time-consuming, and does not require specialized equipment or training.
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