New research indicates using body mass index (BMI) as a tool to measure health risk in older individuals may not be so accurate.
What is BMI
Body mass index is calculated using an individual’s height and weight. Weight in kilograms is divided by height in centimeters squared. BMI is frequently used to assess overall health. The World Health Organization established four BMI categories:
I find it interesting that identical twins raised apart have similar weight gain patterns and fat deposits. If one is overweight, the other is usually overweight. This pattern suggests a large share of obesity risk is tied to genetics, not just eating habits.
My gut reaction is to argue this and say it provides too easy of a cop out for overweight individuals to say “it’s just my genes”. I argue that the remaining share, determined by how a child is raised, has a significant impact on overall overweight status.
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