About this Resource
The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of an individual’s height and weight characteristics. BMI is commonly used as a way of estimating an individual’s body fat and categorising them into groups accordingly. There are however some important limitations to consider when calculating an individual’s BMI.
Grounded in the Research
The body mass index (BMI) is the metric currently in use for defining anthropometric height/weight characteristics in adults and for classifying (categorizing) them into groups. The common interpretation is that it represents an index of an individual’s fatness. It also is widely used as a risk factor for the development of or the prevalence of several health issues.
Excerpt from: Nuttall, F. Q. (2015). Body mass index: obesity, BMI, and health: a critical review. Nutrition today, 50(3), 117-128.
References
[1] Nuttall, F. Q. (2015). Body mass index: obesity, BMI, and health: a critical review. Nutrition Today, 50(3), 117-128. https://doi.org/10.1097/nt.0000000000000092
[2] Weir CB, Jan A. BMI Classification Percentile And Cut Off Points. [Updated 2023 Jun 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541070/
[3] Aune, D., Sen, A., Prasad, M., Norat, T., Janszky, I., Tonstad, S., … & Vatten, L. J. (2016). BMI and all cause mortality: systematic review and non-linear dose-response meta-analysis of 230 cohort studies with 3.74 million deaths among 30.3 million participants. BMJ, 353. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i2156
[4] Borga, M., West, J., Bell, J. D., Harvey, N. C., Romu, T., Heymsfield, S. B., & Dahlqvist Leinhard, O. (2018). Advanced body composition assessment: from body mass index to body composition profiling. Journal of Investigative Medicine, 66(5), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1136/jim-2018-000722
[5] Romero-Corral, A., Somers, V. K., Sierra-Johnson, J., Thomas, R. J., Collazo-Clavell, M. L., Korinek, J. E. C., … & Lopez-Jimenez, F. (2008). Accuracy of body mass index in diagnosing obesity in the adult general population. International Journal of Obesity, 32(6), 959-966. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.11
[6] Winter, J. E., MacInnis, R. J., Wattanapenpaiboon, N., & Nowson, C. A. (2014). BMI and all-cause mortality in older adults: a meta-analysis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 99(4), 875-890. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.113.068122