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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Body mass index (BMI) is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. A high BMI is associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes in adults.
BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat for most people. However, it has limitations. For example, BMI may:
- Underestimate body fat for older adults or people with low muscle mass
- Overestimate body fat for people who are very muscular and physically fit
In addition, BMI may underestimate risk for people of Asian descent, in part because it doesn’t factor in the risk conferred by excess abdominal fat.
Therefore, it’s useful to look at waist size (measured slightly above the hipbones in adults) in addition to BMI. Health risks go up with increasing waist size, regardless of BMI.
Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your BMI or waist size.