When you have an appointment with a medical provider, you likely get your height measured and step on the scale so the provider can know your weight. Traditionally, height and weight have been used to calculate body mass index (BMI), which providers have used to determine if their patients are underweight, at a normal weight, overweight or obese.
According to the American Association for Cancer Research, more than 33% of Americans are categorized as obese because they have a BMI of 30 or higher. However, is this truly accurate? BMI may not be the best tool to evaluate for obesity.
One key research criticism of BMI is that it does not differentiate between fat, muscle and bone density. The Lancet reports that BMI does not determine how fat is distributed across the body. Also, fat tends to increase while muscle tends to decrease with age, but it could result in no change to the BMI because a patient’s weight could remain the same.
Other Methods to Measure Body Fat
Despite criticisms of BMI, most providers still rely on this measure due to its convenience. There are other methods of measuring total body fat amounts, however. These include:
- Measuring with calipers, which allows body fat to be estimated by measuring how thick the layer of fat is just underneath the skin
- Measuring the waist-to-hip ratio, which can determine if you have more fat stored around your belly as opposed to your hips and thighs
- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, which is a noninvasive scan that uses low-dose X-rays to measure body fat
- Bioelectrical impedance analysis, which sends a small electrical current throughout the body and measures the resistance to the current, which can estimate the percentage of body fat since fat does not conduct electricity as efficiently as muscle
- Underwater weighing, which calculates body density when the patient is weighed on a scale submerged in water
Some providers do not use the above methods because they can be expensive, the providers cannot access them or the providers do not know how to use them. If your medical provider still calculates and tells you your BMI, those reasons may be why.
BMI May Not Tell the Whole Story
It is possible to have a high BMI and be healthy. For example, you may be muscular due to being an athlete. This would result in having a low amount of body fat, causing an obesity diagnosis to not apply.
If you have a healthy BMI, it is important to know that it is possible to still have an unhealthy amount of body fat, which may make you more likely to suffer from obesity-related diseases or complications. These diseases and complications can increase your risk of serious illnesses, like cancer.
It is also possible for individuals with a healthy BMI to suffer from or be at a high risk of developing metabolic syndrome, which is a group of risk factors that can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease:
- Waist size: More than 40 inches for men and more than 35 inches for women
- Fasting blood sugar: More than 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)
- Triglycerides in blood: More than 150 mg/dL
- HDL (good cholesterol): Less than 40 mg/dL for men and less than 50 mg/dL for women
- LDL (bad cholesterol): More than 100 mg/dL
- Blood pressure: More than 120/80
To help prevent metabolic syndrome, you can know your waist size, fasting blood sugar, triglyceride, HDL, LDL and blood pressure numbers and work to have those numbers be normal or maintain your normal levels. This can help you reduce the amount of body fat you have. You can:
- Exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes
- Eat a balanced diet that limits sugar, fat, red meat and processed foods while increasing consumption of beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables and be mindful of what you are eating
- Limit or avoid consuming alcohol
It is also important to watch for any of the following symptoms that could indicate clinical obesity:
- Shortness of breath, due to increased body fat around the lungs or heart
- Hip or knee pain accompanied by joint stiffness and reduced motion
- Problems with other organs and body systems, such as:
- Reproductive or urinary organs
- Nervous system
- Kidneys
UofL Health is Here for You
UofL Health has primary care providers who can help you know if you have risk factors related to being overweight or obese. Your primary care provider can also help you develop and stick to a nutrition and exercise plan that works best for you. If you need a primary care provider, call UofL Physicians – Primary Care at 502-588-4343 to schedule an appointment.
UofL Health – Advanced Bariatric Surgery and Weight Loss offers the latest and most effective treatments for obesity. We offer five advanced surgical options, as well as advanced endoscopic (non-surgical) procedures. For more information, call 502-588-4790.
