The BMI often labels people as unhealthy — but why is this?
A study of the American population showed that 50 million Americans are incorrectly classified as unhealthy.
According to their BMI, these individuals would be considered “unhealthy.” However, this is not entirely true. Although they may be overweight, they do not have high blood pressure, high blood sugar, or high cholesterol levels. In fact, 29% of people who are overweight are considered metabolically healthy. Among people with severe obesity, that percentage is much lower — only 15%.
At the same time, 30% of people with a normal weight are actually metabolically unhealthy!
Many researchers agree that BMI is no longer the best measure of health. Losing weight does not necessarily lead to better health. Jeffrey Hunger believes that the focus of healthy living should be on a balanced diet and regular physical activity. An obsession with weight alone does not have the right impact on people’s lifestyle.