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Chapter 10: Problem 19

The index that is often used to classify people as being underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, or morbidly obese is called BMI. Given that BMI is calculated solely on weight and height, how could it be misleading?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Body Mass Index (BMI) could be misleading because it only takes into account height and weight, neglecting other factors that influence an individual's health, like body composition, distribution of fat, muscle mass and bone density. As a result, two individuals with the same BMI might have starkly different health risks.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Calculation of BMI

BMI is calculated by dividing weight (in kilograms) by the square of height (in meters). The resulting value is used to classify the individual as underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese or morbidly obese. Each category corresponds to a range of values. However, it is important to remember that BMI is merely a statistical measurement.
02

Recognize the Limitations of BMI

While BMI can be a useful tool, it has limitations. It does not take into account factors like muscle mass, bone density, overall body composition, and distribution of fat, among others. Because muscle is more dense than fat, a highly muscular person may have a higher BMI while not being overweight. Similarly, older individuals, who may have less muscle mass, could have lower BMI but higher fat percentage.
03

Consider Possible Misleading Scenarios

In light of these limitations, it is possible to conceive scenarios in which BMI is misleading. For instance, two individuals may have the same weight and height, hence the same BMI, but one is muscular and the other has more fat content. The BMI would classify them similarly, when in fact, their health risks could be different.

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