The Body Mass Index is not the most correct method to determine if a person is obese. This has been determined by a study by the Clínica Universidad de Navarra with 6,000 individuals, of which almost a third of those considered normal were actually overweight.
- The BMI was devised by the Belgian statistician LAJ Quetelet and is frequently used to determine if we are within our ideal weight, since it is an easy method to perform and with immediate results. It is enough to divide the weight in kilograms by the height in meters squared.
- According to the World Health Organization, a person is considered to be at their ideal weight if their BMI is between 18.5 and 24.99. If the figure is higher than 25, there is a problem of being overweight, and if it is higher than 30, we enter the quotas for obesity.
Ineffective for measuring overweight
- The problem that the experts from the University of Navarra have detected is that 29% of the individuals in the study considered within normal weight by the BMI were actually overweight, and 80% of those who were overweight by the index suffered from obesity.
- This error is due to the fact that the BMI does not consider the percentage of fat in the body, which is actually the risk factor for health complications associated with overweight and obesity.
Most Effective Measure of Obesity
- Experts use a more efficient technique when calculating body fat, air displacement plethysmography or BOD-POD. The method involves calculating the individual’s body volume in order to determine their density and the percentage of fat mass.
- This test lasts between 10 and 15 minutes and makes it possible to calculate a patient’s daily energy needs and, therefore, the specific diet to reduce overweight problems.
