Obesity Scale: Does BMI Discriminate?

The obesity scale isn’t as simple as it seems. Also known as the BMI chart, it measures health and characterize obesity. 

But, does one chart really fit all? And more importantly, who was it designed for? 

Body mass index (BMI) can be wrong when it comes to underrepresented communities, particularly Black people. 

In this article we’ll explore the history of BMI, whether or not the obesity scale discriminates against people of color, and other tools people can use to gain insights into their health.

Obesity Scale: The History of BMI

In the 1830’s, Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian astronomer and mathematician developed the Quetelet Index, now known as Body Mass Index. 

He used it in his work to study what he calls the “average man.” Wanting to find out the health of a population and capture health trends, he used BMI to classify people based on their weight-to-height ratio. 

Today, BMI is widely accepted and used by researchers and health professionals like doctors and fitness trainers.

Obesity Scale: Does BMI Discriminate Against Black People

Created over 100 years ago, during a time when racism was extremely prevalent, BMI inherently has some prejudices. 

Firstly, Quetelet developed his studies around only White populations. This greatly impacts non-Whites since their biological makeup was not taken into account. 

Additionally, studies have shown that Black people develop more muscle compared to whites—making them heavier (muscle weighs more than fat). 

The obesity scale does not account for muscle, so, results for Black people will be higher. The problem with this is, they have a higher risk of being misclassified as overweight or obese.

Furthermore, people with a high BMI can be looked at as not having discipline or weak-minded. These stereotypes can have a negative impact on their social lives and medical history.

Obesity Scale: Alternative Tools to Measure Health

Having access to accurate tools to prevent health issues related to obesity is important for every person.

Below are three alternatives to the obesity scale that can give a more accurate view of your health.

Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)

The waist-to-hip ratio measures a person’s fat distribution that can help show their overall health and obesity. 

To find your WHR, you need to measure the circumference or distance around your waist and hips. 

This is easy to do on your own, so don’t be afraid! All you have to do is grab a tape measure and wrap it around your waist just above your belly button— while standing. Don’t pull the tape too tight and take note of your waistline measurement. 

Now, you want to go to the hips and do the same thing. Wrap the tape measure around the widest part of your hips and try not to pull too tight. 

When you have both the circumference of your waist and hips, divide the waist circumference by the hip circumference.

For example, if your waist circumference is 90 cm (35.4 inches) and your hip circumference is 100 cm (39.3 inches), your waist-to-hip ratio is 0.9.

Example: 90 ÷ 100 = 0.9 cm (35.4 ÷ 39.3 = 0.9 in)

BIA Scales - (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Scale)

A BIA scale is a body fat composition machine. They range from Dexa scans, inbody scales, to the fan favorite amongst fitness enthusiasts, the BMI scale. 

Body scales are body composition scales that include body fat scales and smart body scales. 

It’s not only a scale that shows BMI, but also several body metrics that together with body mass index will give you a more accurate picture of your health.  

Obesity Scale: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

The obesity scale or BMI chart is a measure that health professionals use to gauge body fat and health risk.

Unfortunately, It’s not an accurate measure of body composition for non-Whites because its history did not consider them.

People of African descent have been found to have lower levels of body fat and higher muscle mass.

With that in mind, they can get an inaccurate BMI reading that suggests they are unhealthy and obese. 

Because the BMI chart doesn’t take body composition into account, it’s best to use tools with BIA. Body scales are a great choice to get a better understanding and more accurate picture of your health.