For many years, the Body Mass Index (BMI) was the standard used to assess whether a person was at their “ideal weight” or at risk for obesity-related health problems.
Created in the 19th century by Belgian mathematician Adolphe Quetelet, BMI is a simple formula: weight divided by height squared. This calculation classifies people into categories such as “underweight,” “normal weight,” “overweight,” and “obese.” However, in recent years, questions have been raised about the true effectiveness of BMI as an absolute indicator of health.
Although it is easy to calculate and widely used by health professionals, BMI has important limitations. It does not take into account body composition – that is, how much of a person’s weight comes from muscle, fat, or other tissues. For example, an athlete with high muscle mass may be classified as “obese” by BMI, despite being in excellent physical condition.
On the other hand, a person with little muscle and a high percentage of body fat may have a “normal” BMI but still have serious health risks. This debate is important, especially as our understanding of health evolves.
Obesity is a multifactorial conditioninfluenced by genetics, hormones, eating habits, physical activity level and even emotional and environmental factors. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt a broader approach to diagnose and treat this condition.
Today, many experts argue that BMI, in isolation, should not be the only measure to assess a person's health status.
Others factorssuch as abdominal circumference, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and body composition tests, such as bioimpedance, provide a much more accurate view of weight-related health risks.
A visceral fat, for example, which accumulates around the organs, is much more dangerous to health than subcutaneous fat, and BMI does not distinguish between these different fat distributions.
Furthermore, the stigma associated with weight – often reinforced by the use of BMI as the sole assessment tool – can have serious psychological consequences.
People with high BMI may face discriminationboth socially and in the health system, which can affect their self-esteem and even discourage them from seeking medical care.
Therefore, it is crucial that healthcare professionals adopt a more compassionate and personalized approachconsidering not only the numbers, but also the emotional and social aspects involved.
Faced with this reality, the obesity treatment has undergone significant transformations. Instead of focusing solely on weight loss, health professionals have emphasized the importance of improving quality of life and adopting healthy habits, regardless of the weight goal.
Practicing physical activities regularly, having a balanced diet, managing stress and seeking emotional support are some of the pillars of a more holistic approach.
This shift in focus is important because it recognizes that health is not defined exclusively by numbers on the scale. People of different body sizes and shapes can live healthy lifestyles and live full lives.
The concept of “health in all shapes and sizes” has gained strength, arguing that health promotion must be inclusive, respecting body diversity and combating weight stigma.
In short, BMI can be a useful tool to provide an initial estimate of weight-related health status, but it is far from a definitive measure.
A obesity is a complex condition and should be treated as such, with an approach that takes into account physical, emotional and social factors.
A health goes far beyond a simple number – it’s about how we feel in our bodies and how we take care of ourselves in a holistic way.
This new approach reminds us that in the world of health, each person is unique, and the path to well-being must be personalized, respectful and, above all, centered on the individual.
