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Why It's Time to Rethink BMI
- SANAMethod
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
There’s no reason to settle for a health assessment based on a 200-year-old formula.
If you’ve ever had your health assessed with nothing more than a set of scales and a height chart, chances are BMI (Body Mass Index) was involved. It’s quick, it’s simple, and frankly, it’s pretty outdated.
Despite still being widely used, BMI has more than a few cracks in its foundation. In fact, if you walk into a clinic and they rely solely on BMI to assess your health or weight loss needs, it might be time to ask a few questions, or better yet, seek out a more thorough approach.
Where Did BMI Even Come From?
BMI was developed back in the 1800s by Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian mathematician, not a doctor or health professional. His goal wasn’t to measure individual health, but to create a tool for looking at population averages. In other words, it was never meant to be used the way it often is today.
The term “Body Mass Index” didn’t even exist until 1972, when physiologist Ancel Keys suggested it could be useful for tracking trends across large groups. Even then, it was still intended as a broad brushstroke, not a personalised diagnosis tool.
Yet somehow, it’s become the go-to metric in many health settings. Why? Mostly because it’s easy and convenient.
The Problem With BMI
For something that’s used so often to make decisions about people’s health, BMI misses the mark in several important ways:
It Can’t Tell Muscle from Fat
BMI measures weight in relation to height, but it doesn’t distinguish between fat and muscle. That means someone with high muscle mass, like an athlete, could be classified as overweight or even obese, while someone with low muscle and high body fat might land in the “healthy” range.
It Ignores Where Fat Is Stored
Fat distribution matters, especially when it’s around the waist. Central fat is linked to greater health risks, but BMI doesn’t account for where weight is carried.
It Was Built for a Narrow Group
BMI was designed with European men in mind, and it doesn’t adjust well for differences in ethnicity, sex, or age. For example, people of Asian descent can be at higher risk of metabolic conditions at lower BMIs, while Pacific Islanders may be unfairly categorised due to naturally higher muscle mass.
One-Size-Fits-All Cut-Offs
BMI categories are based on fixed numbers that don’t account for individual differences. As a result, people can fall through the cracks, either being mislabelled as at-risk or, conversely, having potential issues overlooked.
It’s Being Used Outside Its Intended Purpose
Most importantly, BMI was designed as a population-level tool. Using it to make individual health decisions isn’t just a stretch, it goes against what it was created for in the first place.
Better Ways to Assess Health
The good news? There are far more accurate and meaningful ways to assess body composition and health risks today. These include:
Waist-to-height ratio
Waist circumference
Body fat percentage (measured through body scan technology)
Wellness Age Machines (machines that use advanced technology and AI to analyse various parameters like body composition, strength, balance, mobility and cognitive abilities)
These methods give a more complete and individualised view of your health, and that’s what truly matters.
What to Look for in a Good Health Assessment
If a clinic is still using BMI as their primary or only tool, that’s a sign they may not be keeping up with current best practices. A modern, evidence-based approach should consider your unique body composition, lifestyle and goals, not just your weight on a chart.
BMI might still be common, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best we’ve got. With better tools available, there’s no reason to settle for a health assessment based on a 200-year-old formula. Your health deserves a more tailored approach – and so do you.
Ready to experience a tailored, science-backed and holistic approach to weight loss and better health? Book a free information session at one or our SANAMethod clinics today.
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