Body mass index: why were doctors advised to use it in the first place?
Body mass index has long been used by doctors as the standard method for measuring health — and often still is.
But earlier this month, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a new policy that cautions medical professionals from using the body mass index (BMI) as a standalone clinical tool during patient consultations.
In 2022, England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) also made similar changes to obesity guidelines, recommending that waist-to-hip ratio be used alongside BMI.
It’s hardly surprising this new policy recommendation has been made, given the widespread recognition in recent years that BMI has many limitations — particularly when used to make judgments about body weight and, importantly, health.
