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Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used measure of body composition, but it has been criticised for its simplicity and inaccuracy. BMI is calculated using a person's height and weight, but it does not take into account their muscle mass, bone density, body composition, or racial and sex differences. This means that BMI will often classify muscular, athletic people as fatter than they really are, as muscle is denser than fat. For example, a 6ft-tall Olympic sprinter weighing 90kg may have the same BMI as a sedentary person of the same height and weight, but the calculation is only accurate for the latter.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| BMI's biggest flaw | It does not take into account the person's body fat versus muscle (lean tissue) content |
| Muscle vs fat | Muscle weighs more than fat (it is denser, a cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat) |
| BMI's calculation | It will class muscly, athletic people as fatter than they really are |
| BMI's accuracy | It is considered simplistic and not the most accurate assessment of health |
| BMI's limitations | It does not take into account muscle mass, bone density, overall body composition, and racial and sex differences |
| BMI's inability to differentiate | It can't differentiate between muscle and fat |
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What You'll Learn
BMI doesn't account for body composition
Body Mass Index (BMI) is considered a simplistic and inaccurate measure of body composition. This is because it does not take into account the person's body fat versus muscle (lean tissue) content. Muscle is denser than fat, so a cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat. This means that BMI will class muscular people as fatter than they really are. For example, a 6ft-tall Olympic 100-metre sprinter weighing 90kg may have the same BMI as a sedentary person of the same height and weight. BMI would class both of them as overweight, which is probably right for the sedentary person, but not for the athlete.
BMI is based on a person's height and weight, and does not take into account muscle mass, bone density, overall body composition, or racial and sex differences. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have said that BMI is flawed. Eva Tseng, MD, MPH, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins, has said that BMI "does not tell us the distribution of body fat in a person". Tseng points out that fat that builds up around the waist and belly is more dangerous than fat that gets stored around the thighs and hips, but BMI cannot differentiate between the two.
BMI is not the most accurate assessment of health, and other methods should be used to determine if a person is at a healthy weight. For example, waist circumference can be a better indicator of health than BMI.
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BMI doesn't differentiate between muscle and fat
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simplistic and inaccurate way of measuring body composition. It does not take into account a person's body fat versus muscle content. This is because muscle weighs more than fat – it is denser, so a cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat. As a result, BMI will class muscular people as fatter than they really are. For example, a 6ft-tall Olympic 100-metre sprinter weighing 90kg may have the same BMI as a sedentary person of the same height and weight. While the sedentary person may be overweight, the athlete is not.
BMI is calculated using a person's height and weight. It does not account for muscle mass, bone density, overall body composition, or racial and sex differences. This means that healthy adults with a lot of lean muscle mass, like bodybuilders and other muscular athletes, will likely have a BMI that lands them in the overweight category.
BMI is not the best way to determine if you are at a healthy weight. Instead, rely on other methods, including waist circumference. This is because fat that builds up around your waist and belly is more dangerous than the fat that gets stored around your thighs and hips.
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BMI is inaccurate for athletes
Body Mass Index (BMI) is considered to be an inaccurate measure of body fat content, particularly for athletes, because it does not take into account muscle mass. BMI is calculated by relating a person's height to their weight, but muscle is denser than fat, so a cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat. This means that BMI will inevitably class muscular, athletic people as fatter than they really are. For example, a 6ft-tall Olympic 100-metre sprinter weighing 90kg may have the same BMI as a sedentary person of the same height and weight. While the sedentary person may be overweight, the athlete is not.
BMI is also not able to differentiate between muscle and fat, or account for body composition, bone density, racial and sex differences, or the distribution of body fat. For instance, fat that builds up around the waist and belly is more dangerous than fat stored around the thighs and hips, but BMI cannot distinguish between the two.
BMI has long been used as a measure of body composition, but it is now considered too simplistic and not the most accurate assessment of health. Healthy adults with a lot of lean muscle mass, like bodybuilders and other muscular athletes, will likely have a BMI that lands them in the overweight category.
Other methods, such as waist circumference, are more accurate in determining whether a person is at a healthy weight.
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BMI is inaccurate for bodybuilders
Body Mass Index (BMI) is an inaccurate measure of body fat content and does not take into account muscle mass. BMI is calculated by relating a person's height to their weight, but because muscle is denser than fat, a cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat. This means that BMI will inevitably class muscular people as fatter than they really are. For example, a 6ft-tall Olympic 100m sprinter weighing 90kg may have the same BMI as a sedentary person of the same height and weight. While the sedentary person may be overweight, the athlete is not.
BMI is therefore considered too simplistic and not the most accurate assessment of health. Healthy adults with a lot of lean muscle mass, like bodybuilders and other muscular athletes, will likely have a BMI that lands them in the overweight category. You cannot adjust the BMI equation to account for an athletic build.
Other methods, such as waist circumference, are more accurate in determining whether someone is at a healthy weight. This is because fat that builds up around the waist and belly is more dangerous than fat that gets stored around the thighs and hips. BMI cannot differentiate between muscle and fat and misses the difference between muscle mass and fat.
BMI is also flawed because it does not take into account bone density, overall body composition, and racial and sex differences.
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BMI is inaccurate for tall people
Body Mass Index (BMI) is an inaccurate measure of body fat content and does not take into account muscle mass, bone density, body composition, and racial and sex differences. BMI simply relates a person's height to their weight.
Muscle weighs more than fat, as it is denser, so a cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat. This means that BMI will inevitably class muscly, athletic people as fatter than they really are. For example, a 6ft-tall Olympic 100-metre sprinter weighing 90kg may have the same BMI as a sedentary person of the same height and weight. The BMI calculation would class both of them as overweight, which is probably right for the sedentary person, but not for the athlete.
BMI calculators for athletes can be misleading because they compare height and weight and don't factor in muscle mass. Healthy adults with a lot of lean muscle mass, like bodybuilders and other muscular athletes, will likely have a BMI that lands them in the overweight category.
BMI is considered a simplistic measure of health and other methods, including waist circumference, should be used to determine if you're at a healthy weight.
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Frequently asked questions
No, BMI does not take muscle mass into account. It simply relates a person's height to their weight.
BMI is considered misleading because it does not take into account the person's body fat versus muscle (lean tissue) content. This means that muscular people may be classed as overweight or even obese, when in fact they are healthy.
If you are muscular, it's best to rely on other methods to determine if you're a healthy weight, such as waist circumference.
