Based on direct measures of body fat, such as dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), researchers found that a Black woman may not be overweight or obese even though the BMI formula indicates that she is.Discrepancies in BMI may be due to variations in bone mineral content, hydration state and the density of lean mass in different ethnic groups.Atkinson, MD, a researcher and editor of the International Journal of Obesity.įor Black women in particular, here are five interesting aspects to consider regarding BMI: There are a lot of differences in BMI and health risk among multicultural groups according to Richard L. An African-American with a BMI of 28, considered overweight by the standard chart, may be as healthy as a Caucasian person with a BMI of 25. RELATED: What Is BMI & How Can I Calculate It?Īfrican-Americans tend to have less visceral fat (fat around their organs) and more muscle mass. For African American, women the number is 32.” It doesn’t take into account differences in body composition between genders, race/ethnicity groups and across the life span,” says Molly Bray, an associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and lead author of a study at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.īray states, “Non-Hispanic white women are not considered obese until they have a BMI of 30 or above. “This scale was created years ago and is based on Caucasian men and women. The current BMI categories state: BMI Chart Women: Epidemiologists use BMI to calculate national obesity rates.īritish Journal of Nutrition published a study that found the BMI formula , which is widely used to determine body fat, may not be accurate for non-Caucasian, multicultural populations. BMI is an inexpensive and easy-to-perform method of screening to identify possible weight problems for adults. Any procedure can be chosen for a BMI in this range.Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to most adult men and women. Most insurance companies approve bariatric surgery for people with a BMI of 40 or above. The Sleeve Gastrectomy or a Band procedure are reasonable options for these patients, but insurance approval can often be difficult.Ī BMI of 40 indicates that you may be about 100 pounds overweight.

Patients in this range can be considered for a Band procedure or Sleeve Gastrectomy on a case-by-case basis.Ī BMI of 35 – 40 is considered morbidly obese if medical conditions, such as diabetes, also exist. Insurance companies are not routinely approving patients with a BMI of 30 – 35 for surgery. The FDA has approved some banding procedures for this group, assuming the existence of medical conditions such as diabetes. A healthy BMI score is between 20 and 25.Ī score below 20 indicates that you may be underweight a value above 25 indicates that you may be overweight.Ī BMI of 30 – 35 is considered obese. BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measurement based on height and weight that applies to both men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 years.BMI can be used to indicate whether you are overweight, obese, underweight or normal.

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