BMI & Risk Assessment

Calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) and understand the clinical context of the result.

Clinical Context

BMI is a population-level screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. It measures excess weight, not excess body fat.

Limitations

  • Does not distinguish between muscle mass and fat mass (athletes often register as "overweight").
  • Does not account for fat distribution (visceral/abdominal fat is a higher metabolic risk than subcutaneous fat).
  • Thresholds may vary based on ethnicity (e.g., lower risk thresholds are often recommended for Asian populations).