Your BMI is one of the many ways your doctor evaluates your overall health. It shows how much fat is in your body related to your height and weight.
However, many factors outside your BMI calculation can make the result an inaccurate depiction of your health and wellness.
At NuvidaRx Weight Loss-Tallahassee Clinic, our team understands every aspect of your weight revolving around your health. Dr. William Lantz Effinger leads our team, helps you know your BMI number, and provides weight loss solutions when necessary.
Your BMI is a measurement that doctors use to establish a baseline of your body fat related to your weight and height. It's a screening tool that helps providers assess your risk for certain diseases related to obesity, such as:
While not everyone with a high BMI may suffer from these diseases, it substantially increases your health risks.
We break your BMI down into several categories that determine your health risks. Just like a high BMI can be dangerous, a low BMI also comes with certain risks. BMI charts include the following categories:
When your BMI is in one of the obesity categories, you're at risk for dangerous chronic health conditions. However, the same is true if you're underweight, with different problems arising when you don't have enough body fat.
BMI is only a tiny snippet of your overall health. It's the quickest and easiest way for medical providers to assess your body fat related to the rest of your body.
For instance, if you have high body fat, you're at risk for heart disease and diabetes. You're more prone to osteoporosis and anemia if you have a low body fat percentage.
However, where your body distributes the fat also significantly impacts your health. When you have excessive fat in your abdomen, you're at risk for type 2 diabetes and other harmful chronic medical conditions.
It's important to understand that your BMI isn't the only aspect of your body that contributes to your health. You could be obese without medical problems or have a normal BMI, heart disease, or diabetes.
Other factors affect your overall health, including genetics, general activity, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption. We consider these factors when calculating your BMI to give you the most accurate depiction of your health.
You shouldn't put too much thought into your BMI as it has certain limitations. For instance, your BMI number doesn't consider your lean muscle mass. If you're an avid athlete, your BMI likely needs to depict your health accurately.
The same BMI chart applies to both males and females. Each sex has different hormones and other factors that change the amount of body fat needed. Women typically have more body fat than men, which makes the reading inaccurate for many people.
There are other limitations to the BMI charting system as well, with inaccurate calculations for the following groups:
If you're concerned about your weight or your health, your BMI is only a tiny portion of the factors you should look at. You also must evaluate your physical health and family history to determine your risk factors for various diseases and conditions.
But no matter your BMI number, if you're looking to lose weight for a healthier life, the NuvidaRx team can help. We offer multiple tools, including appetite suppressants and fitness plans, to help you succeed in living a healthier life.
To learn more about your BMI and weight loss options, don't hesitate to call our office at 682-217-5757 or request an appointment online using our convenient tool.
