Medically reviewed by Amelia MacIntyre, DO The body mass index (BMI) chart helps determine obesity levels in both women and men. Healthcare providers also use it to determine whether their patients ...

BMI, or body mass index, is an outdated measurement that fails to properly identify health risks, according to a new study.

The main diagnostic test for obesity — the body mass index — accounts for only height and weight, leaving out a slew of factors that influence body fat and health.

A typical BMI chart. IIFYB In the 1970s, researcher Ancel Keys conducted a study with more than 7,500 participants, trying to find the most effective way to measure body fat.

T he body mass index, or BMI, is the formula that’s used most often to diagnose overweight and obesity. But unlike other common diagnoses, there is a certain stigma applied to people with a high ...

It wasn’t until 1972, when physiologist Dr. Ancel Keys proposed it as an estimate of body fat, that it got its more recognizable name: the body mass index, or BMI.

For decades, the body mass index (BMI) has been used for this purpose, with calculations based on height and weight. Despite its convenience, BMI has faced increasing criticism.

The body mass index, or BMI, estimates a patient's body fat using their height and weight and has been used for years to gauge someone's risk for obesity-related health conditions.

Despite widespread criticism, BMI continues to be the go-to for measuring some health risks. Now the "body roundness index" is gaining traction as a viable alternative. What's stopping it being used?