Quote Originally Posted by A Pint of Quinness View Post
Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Acula View Post
I get that as a rule of thumb, but it's inaccurate as a measure of health. A person could be classified as "obese" but actually be fit and healthy, with high muscle mass. Perhaps doctors have these limitations in mind when using it, but regular people may not.
It's not inaccurate as a general measure of health, though. The exceptional outliers are known and taken into account, and most people aren't beefcakes, pregnant, very old, or very young. Regular people who care about measuring their BMI and don't know the limitations that may apply for their specific circumstances are dumbbbbbb
It's not exceptional outliers, though. It doesn't take into account body shape or where you hold your weight, which is a more accurate measure of whether you're in danger of heart disease etc. Nor does it account for racial differences, where having a higher or lower BMI than "normal" may be healthier.