BMI: The Number Your Doctor Gives You—And Why It Can Mislead You

Candid Conversations With Dr Lowe

We’ve all heard about BMI—the body mass index doctors use to categorize weight. But does it really tell you how healthy you are? In this video, you’ll learn: • How BMI is calculated and what the numbers mean • Why the American Medical Association says BMI should never be the only measure used for health decisions • How fat location—especially belly fat—affects your heart and diabetes risk • Why fat in the liver can be dangerous even if your BMI is “normal” • The better measurements your doctor can use for a truer picture of your health Your BMI is a starting point—not the full story. Discover what else you should measure to truly understand your health risk.

Transcript

00:00Just how important is the BMI or body mass index?

00:06Many people visit their doctors and are given a number for their BMI.

00:12If that number is not fully explained, it can leave someone with a false sense of security or needless alarm.

00:20The normal BMI range is 18.5 to 24.9 kg per meter squared.

00:29Below 18.5 kg is considered underweight.

00:3425 to 29.9 kg is overrate.

00:3830 or above is classified as obese.

00:42But does your BMI really predict your risk of heart disease or early death?

00:47The short answer is not always.

00:51In fact, the American Medical Association advises that BMI should never be used by itself

00:58to make a decision about weight loss or heart risk.

01:03The problem lies in how BMI is calculated.

01:07Your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared.

01:11This calculation treats all weight the same, whether it is muscle, fat, or bone.

01:20A short, muscular person may have a BMI that appears overweight,

01:26while a tall person carrying excess fat may still have a normal BMI.

01:33Even more importantly, BMI doesn't show where your fat is stored.

01:41Fat around the abdomen, called visceral fat, is linked to higher risk of insulin resistance,

01:49metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

01:56Two people with the same BMI of 25 could have very different risks.

02:04If one carries more fat around the waist, their cardiovascular risk is significantly higher.

02:13In people with a normal BMI, fat stored in the liver, called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD,

02:26can be an even stronger warning sign for heart disease risk.

02:30But BMI cannot reveal this.

02:33While BMI is a useful screening tool for public health research,

02:39your individual heart risk depends on more.

02:43Your doctor can assess this with body composition tests,

02:47like skinfold measurements, and bioelectrical impedance, or DEXA scans.

02:58Even simple waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio

03:02often gives a more accurate picture than a single BMI number.

03:09So take your BMI with a grain of salt

03:14and pair it with other measures for a truer look at your health.

03:19I hope you found this video useful.

03:22If you did, like and share with your friends and family.

03:26You can support this channel by subscribing.

03:29Until the next video, stay healthy and stay safe.

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