BMI TMI

“Based on B.M.I., Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was a bodybuilder would have been categorized as obese and needing to lose weight.” That’s just one example that points to the increasingly obvious conclusion that the body mass index, or BMI, is an imperfect indicator of health. Is there a better model? Researchers think they’ve shape-shifted their way to a new one, and I’m not sure I like it. “Welcome a new metric: the body roundness index. B.R.I. is just what it sounds like — a measure of how round or circlelike you are, using a formula that takes into account height and waist, but not weight. It’s a formula that may provide a better estimate of central obesity and abdominal fat, which are closely linked to an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, unlike fat stored on the buttocks and thighs.” (I’m pear-shaped and have no ass, so I’m going to preemptively toss my roundness index into the circular file.) NYT (Gift Article): Time to Say Goodbye to the B.M.I.?