Despite BMI’s ubiquity of use by health care professionals, it’s far from a perfect measure. To begin with, it measures total weight, rather than the weight attributed to fatty tissue.

A panel of global experts explains why BMI is not the most helpful measurement of body weight, and how else doctors can diagnose obesity. Image credit: VICTOR TORRES/Stocksy.

Under the proposed guidelines, healthcare providers would implement a multi-step process for diagnosing obesity. The first phase involves using BMI as a screening tool rather than a definitive ...

Despite BMI’s ubiquity of use by health care professionals, it’s far from a perfect measure. To begin with, it measures total weight, rather than the weight attributed to fatty tissue.

Share on Pinterest A panel of global experts explains why BMI is not the most helpful measurement of body weight, and how else doctors can diagnose obesity. Image credit: VICTOR TORRES/Stocksy. A ...

Despite BMI’s ubiquity of use by health care professionals, it’s far from a perfect measure. To begin with, it measures total ...

Despite BMI’s ubiquity of use by health care professionals, it’s far from a perfect measure. To begin with, it measures total weight, rather than the weight attributed to fatty tissue.

Despite BMI’s ubiquity of use by health care professionals, it’s far from a perfect measure. To begin with, it measures total weight, rather than the weight attributed to fatty tissue.

(CNN) — For years, medical experts have defined obesity primarily based on body mass index, which measures stored fat by calculating height and weight, to determine a person’s health risks.