BMI - Is It The Right Measure?

What is BMI?

BMI is a formula that estimates a person's body fat using only his/her weight and height. The result is then used to determine weight categories: 18.5 and below is considered underweight; 18.6-24.9 healthy; 25-29 overweight and 30+ obese.

BMI is NOT the right measure....

Bone mass and muscle mass varies from person to person. So two people aged 30 years and weighing 85 Kgs might have completely different fitness levels. The reason is that the bone mass, muscle mass (both known as lean mass)and fat mass varies from person to person depending on his physical activity level and food habits.

Also the scale was created years ago and is based on Caucasian men and women. It doesn't take into account differences in body composition between genders, race/ethnicity groups, and across the lifespan.

It has been proven that BMI, the number used to indicate weight category does not reflect the same amount of body fat for some races compared to others.

Therefore its very crital to evaluate the % of body fat present in the indivudual before one can classify him as underweight, normal, obese or very obese. How do you go about doing that? There two very accurate tests that can help calculate your body fat % in the body accurately.

1. Hydrostatic Testing
   Hydrostatic Testing (Underwater Weighing) has become universally regarded by industry experts as the "Gold Standard" in body fat testing. It works on the fact that bone, muscle, and connective tissue collectively known as lean mass sinks, while body fat floats is the main principle behind (hydro-densitometry) hydrostatic testing. By obtaining your land weight and water weight (based on buoyancy), your body fat as a percentage of your total weight can be scientifically calculated.
2. DXA Method In this method, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, which is a low dose x-ray known as DXA, is used to determine percent fat. DXA can be used to estimate bone density, lean mass and fat mass. The DXA method uses two different frequency X-Rays and rates of absorption of the body and determines the value based on the difference between the two.

What is the Bioelectrical Impedance method?

Muscles, blood vessels and bones are body tissues having a high water content that conduct electricity easily. Body fat is tissue that has little electric conductivity. Omron Body fat monitor sends an extremely weak electrical current of 50 kHz and less than 500 µA through your body to determine the amount of fat tissue. This weak electrical current is not felt while operating the BF400. The Bioelectrical Impedance Method safely combines the electric resistance with the distance of the electricity conducted. Correct posture and consistent measuring conditions need to be maintained for the best results.

DXA (Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry), has been the established method for accurate evaluation of body composition. OMRON has used research information from several hundred people using the DXA method to develop the formula by which the body fat monitors work. The body fat mass and body fat percentage is calculated by a formula that includes five factors: electric resistance, height, weight, age and gender.