Body Mass Index: Good Indicator, or Unrealistic Expectations?

There are few issues regarding health and weight loss that cause more controversy than the body mass index. While on paper this appears to be a solid theory on how to gauge a person's relative health, and there are many doctors who will stand by it, the body mass index, or BMI, finds itself increasingly under fire for possibly being inaccurate and unrealistic.

A person's body mass index is given in the form of a number. That number is figured out based on a person's weight and height. For many people a BMI chart may be relatively accurate as far as body fat, since most individuals with an average frame (and average is the key word here) who are healthy will fall in a particular weight range. Any BMI that is 18.5 is considered underweight and anything above 25 is overweight and any BMI above 30 is obese. The body mass index can be used to help determine a person's likely general health.

The reason the body mass index has come under fire, is that some people do simply have larger bones than others. Imagine a six foot tall NFL defensive tackle standing by a bean pole eighteen year old. Chances are not only is the weight difference from weight lifting, but factors such as a larger bone structure leads to a wider shoulder, chest, and back, all of which will carry a lot more muscle. Virtually every NFL player is obese by BMI standards-but these are professional athletes. This is where a lot of criticism comes in, but people need to remember that the body mass index is a general guideline for the average person, not a scientific test. For more specific results, visit a doctor and have a body fat test done, and remember that while the body mass index may not be completely accurate, don't use that as an excuse to sluff off on deciding whether or not to diet.

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