What is the importance of body mass index?

Is BMI reliable?: Hi erikka! body mass index (bmi) is only a measure of height & weight. As a result, a very muscular person may have the same BMI as an obese, overfat person - with very different health risks. Bmi also does not give information about dangerous disease-causing visceral belly fat. I prefer bioelectrical impedance analysis - gives a full body composition -fat, muscle, bone, hydration status.

Insurance: Bmi is a reference value utilized for determining obesity.It is calculated by weight/height squared (kg/m2).It's not a perfect tool in determining obesity as very lean individuals with significant muscle mass are often calculated as being over weight or obese. It is good for risk stratification as bmi > 30 carry higher risk of diabetes, htn, sleep apnea and heart disease.Insurances often refer to it.