BMI – An Inaccurate Measure of Health for Bodybuilders

The simplicity of the measurement which is used for decades in BMI (Body mass index) is outdated. However, the measurement is used as a standard of health assessment. Considering individual health, the measurement method is considered biased and not very accurate.


The method is so outdated and inaccurate that some medical experts put up their opinion that the assessment method should not be used as a predictor of health. As for the accurate measures and inaccurate means of assessment, the following are the factors that make BMI inaccurate and unmeaningful.

Doesn’t consider other factors of health

The BMI only shows that a person may be normal or not, but it does not show the other accurate measures of health for a bodybuilder or a normal person. For an instance, age, sex, genetics, lifestyle, medical history, or other factors can be accurate measures of health.

• Underweight ( < 18.5)
• Normal (18.5 – 24.9)
• Overweight (25 – 29.9)
• Obese (> 30)

Overestimations and underestimations of a person's health can because issues, as BMI does not consider cholesterol, blood sugar, heart rate, blood pressure, and inflammation levels of a person. Similarly, the indicator uses the same measure for both men and women, however, the studies show that men have more muscle mass than women.

Assumes all weight is equal

Since the classification of BMI is based on height and weight, the person with more muscle mass can be of the same weight as the person with the same amount of fat. However, both the bodies will be different in appearance, the person with high muscle mass will have a leaner look as of a weightlifter, contrary to that the other person will be bulkier and fat.

As a result, this might misclassify a person being obese or overweight despite the amount of fat mass or the muscle mass in consideration.

Fat Distribution in not Considered

The fat distribution and the difference across the body make a whole lot of difference in weight. The BMI outcomes are considered as poorer health outcomes as it is not considering the fat distribution across the body.

Furthermore, the studies highlighted that the fat is stored on the body suggests that the BMI can suggest whether the body is unhealthy or healthy, without considering the fat distribution making the classification biased and misleading the person.