Do you recall being asked to step on a scale during your last visit to the doctor? It’s such a common occurrence that many of us barely think about it (though some of us dread it). What you may not realize is that not only is your healthcare provider noting down your weight, but that information, along with your height, will likely be used to calculate your body mass index (BMI): a measure that moderately correlates with body fat. It’s meant to be a screening tool for a host of health conditions, but it’s hardly a one-size-fits-all solution. Best Weight Loss And Fat Burning Supplements In US. For some members of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, BMI standards can be less accurate, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and many health researchers.

The reason it’s calculated at all is to help determine whether you should receive certain diagnoses or treatments, says Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, an obesity medicine doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who is Black. Those can include obesity, obesity-related health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and even some orthopedic surgeries. Your BMI can also affect how high your insurance rates are, as it is seen to be a risk indicator. 2022’s Best Pre Workout And Fat Burner Supplement But BMI isn’t meant to diagnose an unhealthy weight or another condition. Your doctor must perform additional assessments of your health to make any diagnosis