International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume I, Issue I, January 2017 | ISSN 2454–6186
BMI vs. Abdominal Obesity – A Heavy Debate
Rasmi Mishra
Founder, COO, AllizHealth
I. UNDERSTANDING BMI
Body Mass Index or BMI is one of the most commonly used statistical tools to measure body fat. Calculated by taking the ratio of individual’s weight and height, BMI has seen tremendous prevalence, over the years, in usage from both individuals and medical community. Its wide reach can be attributed to the fact that it is extremely simple to calculate, reasonably informative, cheap and non-invasive in nature. It is now commonly accepted as a useful screening tool for weight profiling of individuals as well population groups. Based on the BMI score, an individual is classified as either underweight, normal, overweight and obese. A score above 25 makes the individual overweight and one above 30 makes her obese. Chart 1 below captures, in detail, all the BMI score ranges and corresponding categories.
CHART 1: The Chart below captures BMI score ranges and corresponding categories