Nuffield Health notes that body mass index (BMI), while still useful, has come under increasing scrutiny for not being a full representation of body composition or health.
Indeed, the NHS notes: “Your BMI can tell you if you’re carrying too much weight, but it cannot tell if you’re carrying too much fat.”
The Mayo Clinic says: “Research also associates belly fat with an increased risk of premature death — regardless of overall weight.“
In fact, some studies have found that even when women were considered a normal weight based on standard body mass index (BMI) measurements, a large waistline increased the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease.”