Why the BMI is Losing Ground and What Might Replace It
For decades, Body Mass Index (BMI) has been a common tool for assessing health, used globally to measure obesity and categorise people based on height and weight. But the metric’s simplicity has often been criticised, especially by health experts who argue that it fails to account for muscle mass, body composition, age, sex, and ethnic diversity. For example, athletes like Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher, who carries more muscle than fat, have found themselves classified as ‘obese’ based solely on their BMI scores.
BMI, initially developed almost two centuries ago, was derived from studies that predominantly featured white male subjects. It wasn’t intended to serve as the universal health tool it has become. Yet, it is widely used in medical practices today to assess the risk of obesity and related health issues. Unfortunately, this method doesn’t differentiate between individuals with varying body types or take into consideration factors like race or muscle mass. For many Australians of Indian descent, this metric is even more inadequate, as body composition can vary significantly across ethnic groups.
Even the American Medical Association has warned of BMI’s limitations. It doesn’t reflect the diversity of body types or properly account for how weight distributes differently in people of varying races or backgrounds. This blanket approach to health measurement has prompted calls for more nuanced alternatives, like the Body Roundness Index (BRI), which factors in waist circumference to give a better understanding of an individual’s body composition and health risks.
BRI provides a deeper insight into how body fat is distributed, making it a more tailored solution, especially for Indian Australians and others with different ethnic backgrounds who may not align with BMI’s flawed categorisation. Unlike BMI, which treats all weight gain equally, BRI focuses on where fat is stored — an important factor in determining health risks, especially related to heart disease and diabetes, which can disproportionately affect migrant populations.
As Australia continues to embrace its multicultural identity, many Indian Australians are seeking more culturally relevant healthcare solutions. A move away from BMI towards more individualised health metrics like BRI could be a crucial step in better-serving communities with diverse health needs. Moreover, this shift could help reduce the stigma surrounding weight, which many Australians — especially women and younger generations — often face due to outdated health assessments.
Considering these discussions, many healthcare providers and fitness experts are beginning to advocate for more comprehensive tools that provide a clearer picture of a person’s health beyond the numbers on the scale. For Indian Australians and others with different body compositions, the shift towards more inclusive and accurate health measurements like BRI signals a move towards personalised care that recognises the complexities of everyone’s body, irrespective of arbitrary categories.
