With a BMI over 25, you are considered overweight and this has consequences for your health. So at least the theory according to the body mass index.
Behind the known value is a simple formula that supposedly provides information about how healthy someone is. As a result, the famous body mass index is not only used by nutrition experts and fitness coaches, but also serves the World Health Organization as a measure of our health .
But what is actually the point of calculating BMI? With us, you will find out what this number reveals about your health and where the widely used guideline reaches its limits.
What is BMI?
BMI, or body mass index , is a metric that calculates a person’s weight in relation to their height. By means of a simple equation, it shows whether someone is considered overweight, underweight, or normal weight.
Since BMI calculators do not take into account the individual composition of fat and muscle mass and also disregard the stature, the result only serves as a rough guideline.
Gender and age are often included in the interpretation of the calculated BMI. For example, the lower and upper limits of normal weight are often higher in men than in women, because they generally have slightly more muscle mass.
With age, the BMI may also rise slightly , because those who have a few fat reserves in old age are more likely to withstand longer illnesses. Older people who are considered overweight therefore enjoy better health.
When is one considered healthy according to BMI?
With a BMI between 18.5 and 25 , you are officially considered to be of normal weight . If the value is lower, it is called underweight, but if it is higher, it is called overweight. Individuals with a BMI over 30 are classified as obese according to varying degrees of severity.
Obesity is considered a high risk factor for cardiovascular disease , diabetes, lipid metabolism disorders, or high blood pressure. Therefore, those who are classified as obese according to BMI are more at risk of developing it.
However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), not only severe overweight, but also underweight is harmful to health , because according to various studies, people who are below normal weight are also more likely to die than their normal-weight counterparts.
However, the BMI alone is far from sufficient to classify someone as healthy or unhealthy. A meta-analysis of studies up to 2012 even showed that the probability of death in slightly overweight people according to BMI was 6% lower than in normal weight people.
The reason for this is that the BMI does not take the general state of health into account. For example, smoking or certain diseases lead to weight loss, which makes those affected more likely to be classified as normal weight.
Why BMI says nothing about your health
A person’s health does not automatically depend on BMI. An important criterion that is not taken into account is the distinction between muscle and fat mass .
For example, strength athletes are quickly considered overweight because they are more muscular and therefore weigh more, as muscles are known to be heavier than fat .
The distribution of body fat is also significant. Belly fat has been shown to affect health more than hip fat. The annoying extra kilos around the abdomen lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease , which in turn can be the cause of heart attacks or strokes.
Body shape also plays a big role when it comes to weight. For example, people with wider shoulders weigh more than their narrow-shouldered peers. But that does not mean that they are less healthy than thinner individuals.
BMI often criticizes the fact that the limit values were set arbitrarily and that the classification according to the WHO does not take into account body type, age, or gender.
Important influences on your health
Some studies from the past show that many people who are overweight according to BMI have completely unremarkable blood values and are just as healthy as normal weight people.
Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), for example, is more meaningful than BMI in terms of body fat percentage and thus potential health risks. The BIA devices used measure the resistance in the body, which allows for a better estimation of fat content.
In addition to body fat, however, there are other important factors that have a significant impact on your health. These include, for example, stress, exercise, sleep habits, predisposition and also diet.
Especially when it comes to nutrition, we can help you with a healthy breakfast .
A timeless classic for a healthy start to the day are, for example ,Bircher muesli or delicious porridge .
Bircher Muesli Original Basic Recipe
Ingredients
- 50 g tender oatmeal
- Water
- 600 ml milk
- 1 lemon
- 4 apples
- 4 tbsp grated or chopped hazelnuts
Preparation
-
Place the oatmeal in a bowl and cover with water.
-
Place the mixture in the fridge and let it swell for at least an hour.
-
Remove the oatmeal from the fridge in the morning and add the milk.
-
Rub the apples over the muesli and stir in.
-
Sprinkle the grated or chopped hazelnuts over the cereal.
Tip
Our conclusion is therefore: Calculating the BMI alone has little significance for your health. Much more important is how well you take care of your body.
A healthy diet , regular exercise and an all-round balanced lifestyle play a much more important role than the ratio between your height and weight. Do you know your calorie needs? Use our free calorie calculator .
