Body mass index, or BMI, is still one of the most commonly used indicators for obesity, a centuries-old formula that measures body fat based on height and weight.
But it wasn’t created by a doctor. A Belgian mathematician, Adolphe Quetelet, developed the index as a way to study the “normal man.” Health professionals have since adopted the formula because it is inexpensive, easy to calculate, and can be applied to all populations, but there are significant drawbacks.
Watch the video above to see why the body mass index is an imperfect measurement of obesity.
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