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New York Post
a day ago
- Health
- New York Post
Body fat, not BMI, ‘far more accurate' at predicting major health risks: study
Body mass index (BMI) may not be the most accurate predictor of death risk. A new study from the University of Florida found that BMI — a measurement that is commonly used to determine whether a person's weight is in a healthy range for their height — is 'deeply flawed' in terms of predicting mortality. Instead, one's level of body fat is 'far more accurate,' concluded the study, which was published this week in the Annals of Family Medicine. To measure participants' body fat, the researchers used a method called bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), which uses a device to measure the resistance of body tissue to a small electrical current. Over a 15-year period, those who had high body fat were found to be 78% more likely to die than those who had healthy body fat levels, researchers found. They were also more than three times as likely to die of heart disease, the study noted. BMI — which is calculated by dividing weight by height, squared — was described as 'entirely unreliable' in predicting the risk of death over a 15-year period from any cause. The study included 4,252 people in the U.S. and pulled data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. BMI should not be relied upon as a 'vital sign' of health, according to senior author Frank Orlando, M.D., medical director of UF Health Family Medicine in Springhill. 6 A new study from the University of Florida found that instead of using body mass index (BMI), one's level of body fat is 'far more accurate' when examining death risk. methaphum – 6 BMI, used to determine whether a person's weight is in a healthy range for their height, was described as 'entirely unreliable' in predicting the risk of death over a 15-year period. Halfpoint – 'I'm a family physician, and on a regular basis, we're faced with patients who have diabetes, heart disease, obesity and other conditions that are related to obesity,' Orlando said in a press release for the study. 'One of the routine measures we take alongside traditional vital signs is BMI. We use BMI to screen for a person having an issue with their body composition, but it's not as accurate for everyone as vital signs are,' he added. BMI has been the international standard for measuring obesity since the 1980s, according to many sources, though some experts have questioned its validity. An individual is considered obese if their BMI is 30 or above, overweight if it is between 25 and 29.9, of 'normal' weight in the range of 18.5 to 24.9, or underweight if lower than 18.5. While BMI is easy to calculate, one of its main limitations is that it cannot distinguish between muscle and fat mass, the researchers noted. 'For example, people who are bodybuilders can really elevate their body mass index,' Orlando said. 'But they're healthy even with a BMI indicating that they're obese.' 6 'People who are bodybuilders can really elevate their body mass index,' senior author Frank Orlando, M.D., said about the limitations of BMI. 'But they're healthy even with a BMI indicating that they're obese.' Maksim Denisenko – 'BMI is just so ingrained in how we think about body fat,' Arch Mainous, PhD, Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Community Health and Family Medicine at the University of Florida, added. 'I think the study shows it's time to go to an alternative that is now proven to be far better at the job.' Other methods, such as a DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan, may be even more accurate than BIA, but are much more expensive and not as accessible, the researchers noted. 'If you talk to obesity researchers, they're going to say you have to use the DEXA scan because it's the most accurate,' Mainous said in the release. 'And that's probably true. But it's never going to be viable in a doctor's office or family practice.' 6 'We use BMI to screen for a person having an issue with their body composition, but it's not as accurate for everyone as vital signs are,' Orlando said. grinny – Dr. Stephen Vogel — a family medicine physician with PlushCare, a virtual health platform with primary care, therapy and weight management options — echoed the limitations of BMI. 'It has been an easy measurement tool that helps us understand at-risk groups across various populations and demographics, but it doesn't provide accurate data from patient to patient,' the North Carolina-based doctor, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. 'These findings don't challenge the assumptions about BMI — they strengthen the message that new standards, delivered in a consistent and low-cost way, would provide better nuance for the individual when it comes to their overall physical health.' Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! Potential limitations 'The main strengths of this study are a better correlation to an individual's risk of morbidity and mortality — however, the limitations lie in the fact that we don't have enough data to determine the right cutoff for these numbers, or to identify the right tools that will be both accurate and precise across the population,' Vogel said. The researchers also acknowledged that body fat percentage thresholds haven't yet been as standardized as BMI and waist circumference. Also, the age range of the participants in the study was limited by the data source. 6 The researchers acknowledged that body fat percentage thresholds haven't yet been as standardized as BMI and waist circumference. VadimGuzhva – 'Future studies should extend this comparison of body fat to BMI in older adults,' the researchers wrote. The study was also limited by focusing only on mortality as an outcome, they noted, without taking into account any developing diseases — such as heart failure or cancer — that could deepen the understanding of body fat as a risk factor. The goal, according to Vogel, is to have a cost-effective, consistent method that can be used across the population with reliable accuracy. 6 According to Dr. Stephen Vogel, 'benefits would come in the form of a more detailed list of information that helps providers and patients make informed decisions about the patient's health, which is ideal.' Anatta_Tan – 'These data will drive better discussions in the doctor's office, as well as public health initiatives with the goal of improving the health of all.' 'Benefits would come in the form of a more detailed list of information that helps providers and patients make informed decisions about the patient's health, which is ideal,' Vogel noted. 'I'm hopeful there's enough buzz around these measures that steps will continue to be taken toward regular implementation.' The researchers are hopeful that once standards are validated, measuring body fat percentage with bioelectrical impedance analysis could become standard of care. They added, 'These data will drive better discussions in the doctor's office, as well as public health initiatives with the goal of improving the health of all.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Annals of Family Medicine: Body Fat Percentage Beats BMI in Predicting 15-Year Mortality Risk Among U.S. Adults Ages 20 to 49
PROVIDENCE, R.I., June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study published in Annals of Family Medicine finds that body-fat percentage is a stronger predictor of 15-year mortality risk in U.S. adults than body mass index (BMI). Although BMI is widely used in clinics as the standard measure of body composition, it can potentially misclassify muscular individuals as overweight and miss cases of "normal-weight obesity," masking serious metabolic and heart disease risks. The study findings support reexamining how body composition is measured in clinical settings. Researchers from the University of Florida analyzed data from 4,252 participants in the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized U.S. adults ages 20 to 49. All participants had complete technician measured body composition data, including height, weight and waist circumference. Body fat percentage was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Records were linked to the National Death Index through 2019. After adjusting for age, race and poverty status, the study found: Numbers in parentheses are the hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). Adults with a high body-fat percentage (27% or more in men; 44% or more in women) were 1.78 times more likely to die from any cause than individuals in the healthy body fat range (HR 1.78; 95% CI, 1.28 to 2.47). Adults with a high body-fat percentage were also 3.62 times more likely to die from heart disease (HR 3.62; 95% CI, 1.55 to 8.45). Overweight/obese BMI (25 kg/m² or higher) was not associated with a statistically significant higher risk of death from any cause, compared with adults in the healthy BMI range (HR 1.25, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.84). Adults with a high waist circumference (more than 40 inches in men; more than 35 inches in women) were 1.59 times more likely to die from any cause than individuals in the healthy range (HR 1.59; 95% CI, 1.12 to 2.26). Adults with a high waist circumference were also 4.01 times more likely to die from heart disease (HR 4.01; 95% CI, 1.94 to 8.27). Historically, it has been difficult to measure body fat percentage in primary care outpatient settings. New bioelectrical impedance devices have the potential to change this; however, implementation details remain to be worked out, as primary care clinics are not yet routinely using them. "This is a game changer for body composition assessment. Our study is basically a Coke versus Pepsi comparison of a direct and indirect measure of body fat for future mortality risk and a direct measure of body fat percentage that can be done in the office was significantly better," said Arch G. Mainous III, PhD, lead author and professor in the Department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy at the University of Florida. "The medical community has been aware that BMI has some limitations as a measure of body composition and disease risk. It is an indirect measure of body fat percentage. Direct measures have historically been too expensive and difficult to use in the office. Our study shows that a direct measure of body fat that can be done easily, practically and inexpensively in a doctor's office solves the problems of BMI," said Frank A. Orlando, MD, corresponding author in the Department of Community Health and Family Medicine at the University of Florida. Article Cited: Body Mass Index vs Body Fat Percentage as a Predictor of Mortality in Adults Aged 20-49 Years Arch G. Mainous III, PhD; Lu Yin, PhD; Velyn Wu, MD, MACM; Pooja Sharma, MPH; Breana M. Jenkins, BPH; Aaron A. Saguil, MD, MPH; Danielle S. Nelson, MD, MPH; and Frank A. Orlando, MD Annals of Family Medicine is an open access, peer-reviewed, indexed research journal that provides a cross-disciplinary forum for new, evidence-based information affecting the primary care disciplines. Launched in May 2003, Annals of Family Medicine is sponsored by six family medical organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Board of Family Medicine, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, the Association of Departments of Family Medicine, the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, and the North American Primary Care Research Group. Annals of Family Medicine is published online six times each year, charges no fee for publication, and contains original research from the clinical, biomedical, social, and health services areas, as well as contributions on methodology and theory, selected reviews, essays, and editorials. Complete editorial content and interactive discussion groups for each published article can be accessed for free on the journal's website, View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Annals of Family Medicine Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
