Why BMI (Body Mass Index) is a flawed concept.

BMI or Body Mass Index is a guesstimate at roughly how much bodyfat an individual has based on their weight and height. It was invented sometime between 1830 & 1850 by Adolphe Quetelet, a mathematician who was lacking training and knowledge on the human body. In fact BMI was invented for the government of Belgium so that they could allocate resources to help curb an obesity problem.


When you exam the formula of BMI (which I have outlined below) you can notice the is no reason to square the height, he did it because otherwise the data wouldn't fit the formula. Furthermore it makes no allowance for bone density, muscle mass and fat. In fact the vast majority of professional athletes find themselves classified as overweight or sometimes obese.

The only reason BMI is used is because it is cheap and requires next to no training to use, every doctor can use the calculator and formula provided to them. It is much more expensive to train every doctor on how to workout bodyfat using calipers or other methods which are much more accurate.

For those interested in working out their BMI the formula is as follows:
BMI = [weight / (height x height)] x 703

6 Inch LCD Digital Caliper with Extra Battery and Case