The American Medical Association (AMA) recently released a report during their Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, criticizing the use of body mass index (BMI) as a means of assessing body fat. They referred to the BMI as “imperfect” and “problematic,” and claimed that it has been used for “racist exclusion.” The report argued that BMI cutoffs are based on an idealized Caucasian body type and do not consider factors such as gender or ethnicity. The AMA also linked the history of the BMI to the discredited theory of eugenics.
BMI, which was first introduced by Belgian mathematician Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet in the mid-1800s, has been widely used since the 1980s to measure obesity. However, the validity of this measurement has been questioned by some experts.
To calculate BMI, an individual’s weight is divided by the square of their height in feet. For example, someone who is 5’5″ and weighs 135 pounds would have a BMI of 23.2. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a BMI lower than 18.5 is considered underweight, a BMI between 18.5 and less than 25 falls within the healthy weight range, a BMI between 25 and 30 is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 or higher indicates obesity, with a BMI over 40 qualifying as severe obesity.
Organizations such as the National Alliance for Eating Disorders and Project HEAL support the AMA’s recommendation to de-emphasize the use of BMI. They argue that the BMI’s history is rooted in racism and criticize its standards as racist and sexist. These organizations advocate for the recognition of weight diversity and the use of health measurement tools that consider multiple factors impacting a person’s health status.
However, not everyone agrees with the AMA’s stance. Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, opposes the AMA’s call to abolish the BMI. He argues that the BMI serves as a starting point for determining obesity and provides a basic guideline for closer monitoring. Dr. Siegel believes that removing the BMI measurement could lead to negative health outcomes and hinder efforts to prevent and treat obesity. He sees the AMA’s decision as influenced by the body positivity movement and views it as a political move rather than a medical one.
In conclusion, the AMA’s criticism of the BMI has sparked a debate within the medical community. While some support the organization’s stance, others argue for the continued use of the BMI as a helpful tool in assessing obesity and related health risks.
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